Lies Bring Us Closer
by FlowerLady-Aerith
Summary: She loved him with all her heart, but he didn't come back like he said he would. She was devastated. Can someone help mend her heart or will she fall to the lie that controls her life? SoraKairi and RoxasKairi
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: So I randomly got a new story idea. This is thanks to my wonderful boyfriend and a compilation of fan-fictions I have randomly read. Somehow, I have concocted this beauty. I hope it turns out all right!_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts. If I did, man, the world would just be a better place. Haha. _

_

* * *

_

**Lies Bring Us Closer**

**Chapter 1: Drowning**

"Are you sure you have to leave? Can't you just stay with me? You could apply next year," she begged with tears swelling up in her innocent, purple eyes.

The person in question shook his head. His cerulean eyes were just as watery and bit of snot was hanging from his nose. "I-I'm sorry, Kairi. Mom says I gotta go now," he stuttered through his sniffles.

Kairi shook her head defiantly. Her bright, flaming red hair was now a mess covering half of her face in its tangles. "I don't want you to go, Sora!" she cried. Now the tears began to fall down her flustered cheeks.

Sora frowned and sniffled. "I promise I'll come back. We'll be together. Once I get my degree at the university I'll be back," he vowed with a slight smile.

"That's such a long time," Kairi whispered sadly, "But if you promise, I'll believe you. Please take my good-luck charm with you, though. You can return it to me when you come back." She reached into the brown pouch attached to her side and pulled out a multi-colored, star-shaped charm. She gently placed it in Sora's palm and smiled sadly.

He clutched it tightly as he stared into her eyes. "Don't worry, Kai. I'll be back sooner than you know," he assured with a genuine grin, "But before I go, I gotta tell you something."

Kairi leaned in toward Sora slightly and tossed a bit of her red hair. Curiosity was dancing in her eyes. "And what might that be?" she asked playfully, "What could you possibly have to tell me right now? Hehe, a last minute love confession?"

Sora blushed bright red. "Well, uhh, Kairi…" he struggled to begin.

"Continue," she laughed as she leaned in even closer. Their faces were only a couple of inches apart and she was staring directly into his eyes. "I won't bite," she giggled.

Sora clamped his eyes shut and clenched his fists. "I love you, Kairi Chidori!" he nearly shouted. She was speechless; the two stood in silence for a couple of minutes. Sora slowly opened his eyes to see Kairi staring at him with wide eyes. "Was that too much?" Sora asked desperately, "I-I'm sorry."

She shook her head and wrapped her arms around Sora's neck. "You better come back, you lazy bum. I love you too, Sora. I always have," she quietly confessed.

Sora smiled and pulled Kairi into a tight hug. "Don't worry, Kai. Don't worry your pretty, little head. But my mom's probably getting angry so I'll see you soon," he whispered into her ear. He pulled away slightly and cupped her chin. He could see the tears already starting to fall again. "Please don't cry," he cooed as his face crept closer to hers.

"I can't help it," she whispered back. He could feel her hot breath on his face. "I'll miss you so much. I really wish we would've just applied to the same places," she continued.

"I'll miss you just as much," he answered quietly. Before Kairi could continue listing her woes, Sora pulled her face close and into a kiss. His free hand shot up to her other cheek as he pulled her face closer to his. His hands then slowly crept to her flaming locks; he lightly stroked them from the root to where they fell on her shoulders. His fingers then trailed down her shoulders, her arms, and rested around her small waist. Abruptly, he pulled away and turned and ran from where Kairi was standing.

"Bye, Sora!"

**KSRXKSRXKSRXKSRXKSRXK**Seven Years Later**KSRXKSRXKSRXKSRXKSRXKSRX**

Kairi sat on the shore watching the waves ascend and descend the sandy beach. Her eyes were blank indigo orbs; they were glued to the rising and falling water. Her flaming hair was blowing slightly in the wind; it gently whipped against the middle of her back. She was dressed in a small, pink tank top and a pair of jean overalls. She had the legs rolled up so that they fit her like shorts. Her feet were bare and gripped the sand underneath them tightly.

"It's been seven years. You were supposed to come back three years ago. I've been waiting for you to meet me here, at our spot, for such a long time. And you still haven't come back. I'm not getting any younger, Sora. I may be twenty-four, but I feel like I'm already fifty. Why aren't you home? You promised me. You said once you got your degree you'd come back, what happened?" she asked the azure sky. She received no answer. She sighed.

Slowly, she began to walk into the water. Soon she was knee-deep in the surrounding ocean. She continued to wade until she had passed the small island that was connected to the main by a wooden bridge. She was now waist-deep. "Would anyone care if I just drowned now?" she asked the sky. She took a couple of more steps until the water was hovering over her fully developed bust.

"Hey! What're you doing out there?"

Kairi turned to the shore to spot someone waving and yelling at her. She squeaked, panicked, and turned and slipped in the water. She struggled and turned as she fought with her hurt foot. The pain was relentless, though, and shot straight into her leg. She waved her hands and thrashed about wildly as she slowly slipped farther away from the shoreline and deeper into the water. _'Maybe I really am going to die,' _she thought calmly as her air supply began to run out. Her panic disappeared and her body stopped flailing in the water as she allowed herself to sink. Her eyes began to close as a dark figure appeared above her.

'_Am I dead? I don't feel dead. I don't even feel wet anymore…I just feel warm. Kind of like I'm in someone's bed.' _

Kairi tossed a bit and slowly opened her foggy eyes. Her vision spun and slowed as she quietly groaned.

"Hey, don't get up too fast."

"Huh," she murmured. She turned her head toward the source of the voice and locked eyes with a familiar pair of cerulean eyes. Her heartbeat quickened as she stared into them with hope and admiration. There was no mistaking that blue gaze; she'd know it anywhere. "Sora?" she called hopefully.

"Sora? No. I'm Roxas."

Her facial expression quickly changed into that of despair. She closed her eyes and rolled away so she didn't have to look at the man any longer. "Where is Sora?" she asked no one in particular. She could feel her throat constricting as she tried to prevent the tears from coming, but it was too late. She allowed a whine to escape and then everything else followed. The tears came rushed down her cheeks, the gasps and whines echoed in her ears, and her nose was already running. In the midst of her cries, a pair of hands gripped her sides and pulled her back toward the unfamiliar man. He lifted her from the bed and pulled her into a tight embrace. She didn't care and continued to cry into the blanket that was still wrapped around her.

"Please don't cry. I don't know why you are, but please don't," Roxas pleaded.

"Why are you trying to comfort me?" she managed to ask through her sniffles and whines.

"Because I rescued you, so for right now, you're my responsibility," he answered quietly.

She quickly silenced her cries and let out a sigh. She was familiar with the term 'responsibility'. Part of her was hoping he would say something else. But what can you expect from a complete stranger? "I understand. I'm sorry about all of this. Could you please tell me how I ended up here?" Kairi requested. She didn't remember anything.

Roxas nodded and helped her back into the bed before he began his explanation. "You see," he began as he straightened out the blanket that was covering Kairi, "You hurt your leg in the water and nearly drowned. I saved you and brought you back to my place, because I didn't know where you lived. I also had to change your clothes because you were shivering violently. I promise I didn't do anything inappropriate to you…I didn't look at anything, I promise."

"All right," Kairi deadpanned, "Thanks. Am I fine to go home?"

"Hm, I think so. Let me check you first," he ordered. Roxas leaned over her and for the first time Kairi noticed more than his cerulean eyes. Roxas had spiked, blonde hair. It looked completely natural and extremely pointy. Part of her wanted to run her fingers through it just to check. His skin was sun-kissed and he appeared to have a good build. He was dressed in a plain, white t-shirt and a pair of swimming trunks. He almost looked like some kind of life guard. He checked her eyes, her hearing, her reflexes, and to her extreme embarrassment, her heartbeat. "All right. I think you're good to go. Where do you live?" he asked.

"Sunrise Apartments. Third floor, 3B," Kairi answered curtly. She was still recovering from her embarrassment. Roxas looked surprised at her answer. She stared at him with curious eyes; had he never heard of Sunrise Apartments? "What's wrong?" she asked.

He rubbed the back of his neck and let out a small chuckle. "It's just that I'm 3A. You're my neighbor," Roxas explained with a nervous smile.

Kairi paused; she didn't know what to say. Until now, she hadn't even known she'd had a neighbor. How did she miss that? _'Must be all my visits to the island. I haven't spent much time at home,' _she thought as she continued to study Roxas. If he was her neighbor, she should at least act nicely toward him. "Well, it's nice to meet you. I'm sorry if I acted weird earlier," Kairi earnestly apologized. She smiled.

He shook his head. "No, no. It's all right. The whole situation probably seemed weird to you. I can't blame you for being slightly alarmed. So, to make it up to you, could I take you to dinner tomorrow night?" Roxas asked. Kairi could detect his shyness and nervousness. The red twinge on her cheeks was a dead giveaway.

She couldn't help but frown. She hadn't spent time alone with a man since Sora left. She never wanted to. Still, she knew Roxas wasn't a threat. But what if Sora returned while she was with Roxas? How would she explain that to him? "Umm, no. That's okay. You saved my life, so, you've done enough for me," Kairi declined politely, "Well, I think I'm going to go home now." She gently lifted her upper body from the bed and swung her legs over the edge.

"Be careful. I bandaged your leg. It was just a muscle spasm, but I don't know what the condition is now. Just try to stay off of it for a few days," Roxas advised as he watched her slowly walk toward the door of his bedroom.

She laughed, "What are you? Some kind of doctor?"

"Actually, yes. Life-guarding is just a part time job till I find an opening at a hospital," Roxas explained. He followed her out of his bedroom and into his living room where the front door was located.

She stopped walking once she reached the doorway. "Well, Doctor Roxas, thanks for saving me once again. I wish you the best of luck with your career. Well, goodbye," Kairi said with a small smile. She pulled open Roxas's front door and began her walk across the stairwell hallway. She only took a few steps before she reached her front door. She stuck the key in the lock and unlocked it quickly. She pushed through her door and turned back to glance at Roxas. He was still standing in his doorway watching her. It was what a proper gentleman would do. She waved timidly before she closed her door.

'_What would you say about this, Sora? He looks so much like you with the exception of his blonde hair, of course. Didn't you want to be a doctor too? I wonder if that worked out for you.' _

Kairi walked to her bedroom and pushed through the door. She wasn't surprised to see her window hanging open. The air that flowed through it was blowing the papers, which were once on her desk, all over the room. She sighed and began to pick them up. She then, closed the window and stacked them on the desk.

She walked over to her wardrobe and changed into her simple, white nightgown before she laid on her bed. "Sora, where are you?" she quietly asked the bright moon that was hanging in the sky. She realized she must have been unconscious for a while. "Sora, did you become a doctor? I thought you were only going to get a bachelor's there and then come back. I thought you wanted to work with the Destiny Island's hospital. Where did you go? And do you know, Roxas?"


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: Okay, so I've written up to chapter 10. I don't want to post them all at once so I'll be posting one chapter each day. Is that all right with everybody? Since this one is mainly squared away I have to spend more time with __**Expect the Impossible **__because that isn't fully written. Thanks for understanding! I hope you enjoy. _

_Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts. _

_

* * *

_

**Lies Bring Us Closer**

**Chapter 2: Sinking**

After the day at the beach Kairi ran into Roxas more and more. It almost seemed like he was following her. Still, she always wore a smile and made sure to greet him kindly. To be honest, she slightly enjoyed his attention. This was mostly because he reminded her of Sora and she hadn't had genuine male attention in a while. Most guys that asked for her company only wanted one thing, the prize in her panties.

Kairi locked her apartment door and turned to see Roxas doing the same. She smiled and decided to greet him. "Good morning, Roxas," she almost whispered cheerily.

He turned and gave her a small smile. "Good morning," he murmured back. He seemed to have a shy nature.

"Would you walk down the stairs with me?" Kairi requested sweetly. Some company couldn't hurt. Roxas nodded and joined her at the top stair. Together they began the descent down the stairs. "So, where are you off too so early? I usually don't see you in the hallway when I go to work," Kairi asked.

Roxas stared at the stairs; he looked down. "Ah, I'm just going to go check on my job status at the hospital," he answered. Kairi couldn't ignore the disappointed tone in his voice. She imagined something wasn't going right for him. There was silence between them as they passed the second floor. Neither seemed to know what to say. "So, where do you work?" Roxas asked as they made their way toward the front doors.

"Oh, I work at a legislative firm. I'm just an office assistant. It's my day job," Kairi answered as they walked down the sidewalk. She was thankful they were going the same direction. She never liked walking alone. It only reminded her of how much she missed walking next to Sora. They always walked to school together every morning, and then, walked home together every afternoon.

"I think you could be more than that," Roxas quickly muttered as they continued down the street.

Kairi was flustered. He barely knew her and already seemed to have some sort of faith in her. Why was she so touched by this? "Nah, there isn't much out there for a twenty-four year old with a degree in English," Kairi answered with a small laugh.

Roxas stopped walking and turned to face her. Kairi couldn't help but see a trace of anger on his face. He seemed even more disappointed than he was before. "Kairi, trust me, you can be much more than just an assistant if you'd put your mind to it," he harshly whispered to her. She frowned. He sighed and shook his head. A smile crept on his lips. "I believe in you. And you should believe in you too," he added.

She was even more flustered. She didn't understand Roxas. He treated her as if he had known her all her life. "I'll try," she managed to muster. Their walk continued until they reached the turn Kairi needed to take to get to her office job. "Well, thank you for walking this way with me. I guess I'll see you later today at the beach?" Kairi asked curiously.

She couldn't help but notice the glow in his eyes when she said those words. When she took interest in him, he almost seemed excited. She couldn't help but smile. "O-Of course," Roxas answered hoarsely, "Goodbye."

"Goodbye." Kairi turned and crossed the street. She didn't dare look back, but she could feel Roxas's lingering stare. There was something about him that she liked; she didn't know what, though. It was almost like he was filling a hole in her heart with his presence. She shook her head and entered the building. No one could take his place. No one.

"Good morning, Kairi!"

She smiled and turned to face her co-worker, Selphie Tillmitt. She was also an assistant in the office. They often spent their lunch breaks together. They were distant friends in high school, but ever since Kairi landed this job they'd gotten much closer. "Good morning, Selphie. Did I miss anything?" she asked as she took her seat at her desk. It was across from Selphie's.

The brunette shook her head and took a bite of her apple. Selphie had the brightest green eyes and light brown hair that was always styled into a flipped bob. Selphie liked consistency. "Everyone's just getting ready for work," she explained as she began typing something into the computer on her desk.

"All right," Kairi answered. She typed her login into the computer and turned her attention to the monitor. She saw that she had an email message. Her heart nearly skipped a beat from the shock. The only person that emailed her was Sora, because he was the only person that had her work email. He'd stopped contacting her a while ago, though. She didn't know whether or not she should open her email. Kairi couldn't handle disappointment too well.

'_What if is it Sora? He'd feel bad that I ignored him. You don't ignore someone you love. I have to check. I have to know,' _she thought. Her eyes didn't dare move from the image of the envelope on her screen. Timidly, she clicked the image and opened her email. Surely enough, the email was from Sora. Kairi was frozen. _'He actually contacted me. Sora emailed me! I have to read it now. I can't wait.' _

She excitedly clicked on the message that was titled 'Kairi'. She was surprised to see it was actually fairly short. She eagerly began to read the message. As she continued reading, her smile dropped. The glowing from her eyes disappeared. Every fibre of happiness in her body seemed to evaporate. Kairi exited the window and left her desk chair. She grabbed her purse and began to walk toward the door.

"Kairi, where are you going?" Selphie called after her. But the brunette was too late. Kairi was already gone.

The red haired woman continued her walk all the way to the dock of the Main Island. She stared out to the smaller island in the distance where she used play with all her friends. The memories were now painful. She removed her boat from the dock and began paddling toward the smaller island. She didn't notice a certain blonde man following after her with a worried expression.

Kairi was completely blank. She was expressionless and emotionless. Not a single tear even threatened to fall. She felt completely empty. It was as if everything had been stripped from her. It was even a surprise she could function. She tied her boat to the dock of the small island and left her heels in her boat. She wouldn't need to look professional for what she was about to do.

She walked off the dock and began to lose the rest of her unnecessary items. She tossed off her suit jacket and it landed somewhere in the sand. She yanked off her pantyhose and left them wherever she stepped. She pulled off her suit skirt and also let that fall somewhere. She ripped off her button-down shirt and tossed that somewhere behind her. She was now left in her undergarments and a silky, pure white slip dress. Kairi was now standing on the shore; the water was whipping the tops of her feet. She slowly began to walk further in the water. This time she had no intentions of stopping.

"Kairi! No!"

She felt someone seize her arms and pull her back onto the shore. It was Roxas's voice. She frowned; it would be too painful to look at him. He sat her down on the sand and handed her the pile of clothes she had tossed away. Kairi only put the jacket back on. She sat and hugged her knees. She didn't bother to say anything to him. He wouldn't understand her pain. No one would.

"What were you trying to do? Kill yourself?" Roxas asked; his voice was dripping with concern. Kairi didn't even have to look at him to tell he was worried about her. "Kairi, you have to live. I don't know what's going on in your life, but you have to live," Roxas begged, "I can't let you end your life."

She chuckled morosely. "Life? My life is gone now. I gave it all to someone who didn't even care to protect it," she spat, "I have no reason to live anymore. My hopes and dreams have been crushed. All that I've ever wanted will never happen."

"I don't know much about hopes and dreams. But I do know you can always get more. Especially since you're you," Roxas answered. It was like he was trying to inspire her. She wasn't in the mood for inspiration. "Kairi, you have so much ahead of you. You could do anything you wanted. Don't let it end this way. You deserve better than this," he pleaded with her. It was now she dared to look at him. His cerulean hues were filled with worry. Her indigo eyes burned with defiance.

"You don't even know me!" Kairi suddenly screamed. She jumped to her feet and began to storm away across the sand. She staggered wildly as she continued fuming. "I just met you a couple of days ago and yet you have such expectations of me! I am nothing, Roxas, nothing! I'm not destined for some greatness. I'm just a girl who was left behind by the person she cared about the most. No one cares about me. I don't have any parents. While I was in high school I lived with the mayor's family. There's no one to care about me here. Or anywhere. I'm alone, so why does it matter if I kill myself? No one's going to miss me!" she shouted angrily. Her face was already wet with her frustrated tears.

"I would miss you," Roxas whispered loud enough for her to here. He stood up walked over to where Kairi was standing and hugging herself. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and held her against him as he continued to whisper into her ear. "I'm like you, Kairi. I have no one. No family, no friends, and no one to care about. That's why when I saved you from drowning that day; I wanted to be your friend. I wanted someone to talk to. I wanted someone to spend time with," he soothingly explained, "If you have nobody. I will be here for you."

Kairi shook her head. She wouldn't fall for false promises again. "No, you're just lying to me. You're going to leave just like he did," she answered angrily. Though she verbally refused, her body was already sinking into his grasp. She wanted comfort, she was just afraid of the rejection that came with comfort that wasn't permanent.

"I promise you. I'll be the best friend you ever had," Roxas swore as he tried his best to assuage her fears.

Kairi was quiet. She didn't know what to say to Roxas. No one had ever given her so much thought, so much attention. No one except for _him_, but that was years ago. Now, he didn't care about her at all. She wanted to be cared about. She wanted to be accepted. She couldn't deny that Roxas made her feel safe. She couldn't deny that there was something about their meeting that seemed natural. Besides the fact she had nearly drowned. She couldn't let this opportunity slip out of her hands.

"All right, Roxas. I'll give this friendship a chance," she choked out. She wiped the tears from her eyes and allowed herself to calm down in his arms.


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: So I've received some positive feedback. That's good :) I hope you all continue to enjoy it. _

**Chapter 3: Floating**

Today was the day of Roxas and Kairi's first friend date. It was called a friend date, because it was not a date. Two, they were just friends spending time together. Three, Kairi wasn't emotionally ready for a date. Four, she didn't really know Roxas. She was hoping today would change that. He was her friend now. She wanted to be as close as possible. Friends were supposed to be close.

She stared at her reflection in the mirror. They would be going out for dinner at a seemingly formal restaurant. So, her attire was semi-formal. She tried to be dressy without being too dressy. Being dressy was the sign of a date. She didn't want Roxas to think it was more than it actually was. Sora may have broken her heart, but she wasn't ready to replace him just yet. Part of her still hoped it was all just a nightmare. She finished the necessary touches she needed on her natural-looking makeup and was satisfied with her appearance.

Kairi was dressed in a simple, light pink dress. It was strapped and showed a bit of cleavage, but not too much. It also hugged her curves in all the right places. She liked to dress plain. She wore a pair of pink wedges to match. It was one of her typical summer outfits. Nothing special. She had conditioned her hair and combed it so that it was silky smooth. This was also nothing special. She couldn't help but think it especially shined tonight. She wore her usual pendant with a pair of matching diamond stud earrings. Her makeup was barely noticeable. She smiled. It may have been nothing special, but she couldn't deny her excitement.

_Ding_

She allowed herself to grin. Roxas was ready. She quickly grabbed her white handbag and made her way to the door. She pulled it open and was surprised at what she saw on the other side. It was Roxas. She just didn't know he cleaned up so well. He was wearing a pair of black slacks and a button-down blue shirt. He was still working on tucking it in. She thought it brought out his eyes. On his feet were the shiniest black shoes Kairi had ever seen. He looked very sharp; she liked it. "Hey," she greeted casually once he finished tucking in his shirt.

"Hey, Kairi. Ready to go?" Roxas asked. He looked hopeful. She nodded almost too eagerly. He smiled. "All right then. Hope you don't mind walking. I don't have a car or anything," Roxas added as they began walking down the stairs.

"No, that's okay. I don't have a car either. I usually walk everywhere. I like walking," Kairi answered kindly. Right now, she felt okay. She wasn't worried about what Sora said or her extreme disappointment. This was her time to spend with her friend, Roxas.

They exited the front doors of the apartment complex and were greeted by the fresh, island air. Kairi always loved Destiny Islands at night. It seemed brighter than it was in the day. All the street lights and building neon signs were on. Even though it was night, nothing was dark. The Main Island was the place to be at night. Everything was lit up like a Christmas tree. Still, like all night life, Destiny Islands had its dangerous patches. To avoid getting into any trouble, Kairi made sure to stay close to Roxas as they walked and chatted.

"Really? You were in Destiny U's graduating class of 2005? I'm surprised I never saw you. It wasn't that big of a campus," Kairi awed.

Roxas shrugged. "I didn't really stand out much," he quietly answered. Kairi now understood why he didn't. Roxas didn't seem like the outgoing type, not that Kairi was outgoing in college. He just seemed like the type of person to keep to himself. The only people that really stood out to her in college were the people she was trying to avoid. "I did manage to see you a couple of times. You didn't seem to want to attract attention to yourself either," Roxas added with a small smile.

Roxas's attachment to her made sense now. He saw that they had something in common way before she even knew him. He did sort of have an idea of who she was. Not in that 'stalker' kind of way, but in the 'I've seen you around before' way. "Yeah, I didn't like to be in the spot light. I really focused on my work in college. I was trying to get out as soon as possible for someone. But that turned out to be a bust," Kairi laughed. He frowned. She quickly decided to change the subject. Tonight wasn't supposed to be full of bad memories. "Hey, there's the restaurant," Kairi pointed out.

The two would be having dinner at Paopu Hut. It was one of the best places to go for a buffet dining experience. Kairi had only been there once. It was during her high school years. Sora had taken her there before prom. When Roxas invited her she didn't suggest going somewhere else. She wanted to make new memories at the restaurant. Also, she couldn't deny that the food was excellent. They entered the restaurant and paid for their dining experience. Kairi paid her own and Roxas paid his own. It was another example of how this was a friend date, not a date. They were seated in a booth next to a window; they sat across from each other.

"What can I get you two to drink?"

"I'll have a lemonade, please," Kairi requested with a smile. She could tell the waitress was only a high school student. She didn't want to give her a hard time.

"Just a water," Roxas shyly mumbled. She could see the faintest blush on his cheeks. She wondered if he was nervous.

She leaned across the table and smiled at Roxas. She lifted his chin with her hand and forced him to look at her. His eyes widened from the contact. "No need to be so shy, Roxas. She's just a high schooler. Now, come on, the food awaits!" Kairi exclaimed happily. She decided it would be her goal of the night to get Roxas to come out of his shell. She wanted to know more about him. He intrigued her.

"A-All right," he stammered.

Kairi walked over to Roxas's side and pulled him out of the booth. She then proceeded to drag him to where the buffet was located. He appeared to be shocked at her actions. She couldn't help but smile. She wasn't just a whiny brat. She had a fun side too, and she wanted to show him that side. If he could stand her emotional one he deserved to see the good one.

Once they filled their plates they went back to the table. Their drinks were waiting for them. "This looks good, huh?" Kairi asked as she stared down at her food in awe. It definitely looked better than the microwavable meals she'd been living off of since college. Kairi wasn't much of a cook. Roxas nodded as he took a bite of his teriyaki chicken. "Is that good?" Kairi asked; a mischievous gleam was dancing in her eyes.

"Yeah," Roxas answered happily once he was done chewing. Kairi grinned. She grabbed her fork and stole a bit of chicken from Roxas's plate. "Hey!" he protested almost angrily. She giggled and popped it into her mouth. Roxas feigned a pout as he took another bite of his chicken.

Kairi smiled. "That was pretty good," she laughed, "Sorry for stealing."

"No, that's okay," Roxas replied with a similar grin. He swiped a bit of salad from Kairi's plate and quickly crammed it in his mouth.

"Hey!" Kairi cried with a playful pout, "That salads mine!"

Roxas laughed, "Well, you just lost that bit of it." Kairi couldn't help but laugh as well.

The rest of the night went well. Roxas and Kairi shared several laughs over the silliest of things. Kairi decided she really liked Roxas's company. He was really funny, charming, and well-spoken. Whenever he made a joke she struggled to make herself stop laughing. She also found out he had a bit of a weakness for keyblades. She couldn't blame him, though. They were excellent weapons. Sora loved them too. Roxas's favorite color was blue. His favorite animal was a lion. Roxas laughed when Kairi told him her favorite was a kitten. He joked that his lion could eat her kitten; he was a typical boy. She judged he was just a little afraid of letting people in.

They decided to also have dessert at the buffet. They had a delicious looking apple pie Kairi wanted to try. They grabbed two slices and then dumped vanilla ice cream on top. This was the way Kairi liked to eat her pie so she suggested Roxas give it a try.

"Come on, Roxas. Take a bite. It's good!" Kairi urged before she took a bite of her own pie. She was instantly in heaven; it tasted so delicious. She loved the combination of the heat from the apple pie and the cold from the ice cream. Roxas looked down at the pie. He seemed unsure. "Try it!" Kairi commanded as she stifled her laughter. He looked so confused.

"All right, here's goes nothing," Roxas muttered as he took a bite. The look of his face was enough to assure Kairi he was completely satisfied. Pure elation was oozing from his pores. She'd never seen him happier. It was so out of character for him, but she liked it. "That was good," he finally said.

She grinned in satisfaction. When she was right, she was right. It only shocked her that Roxas had never dared to put ice cream on his pie before he met her. She watched as he eagerly gobbled down the rest of his slice.

"If you don't eat that I'll eat it for you," Roxas threatened with a sly smirk. He must of noticed she was staring.

"No!" Kairi cried as she quickly began to eat her pie. She'd never let anyone else have her pie. It was far too delicious.

Once dinner was done, the two decided to take a stroll around town. It seemed like a good way to help digest the large amount of food they had just eaten. Kairi also sensed Roxas wasn't ready to return home. She couldn't blame him. She wanted to stay out a bit more too. She looked toward the black sky; it was a moonless night. She thought it was fitting. She didn't understand why that was. She just thought it suited the mood.

"So, Kairi. Can I ask you a question?" Roxas suddenly asked.

"Sure," Kairi answered. She directed her gaze to Roxas. She could spot the troubled gleam in his cerulean eyes. There was something eating at his conscience. She couldn't help but wonder what it was. Did she do something wrong? Or perhaps he was having stomach pains from all the food?

"I don't know if this is too personal of a question, but who is Sora? You called for him when you were waking up the first time we officially met. Since then, I've wondered who he is," Roxas explained. By then, they had stopped walking. She could tell he was only asking out of her concern for her, not because he was a nosey bastard. Still, she didn't know if she was comfortable enough to talk about Sora. He was a major part of her, even though he shouldn't be. If she revealed who Sora was, she would be revealing nearly everything about herself. She didn't know if she was ready for Roxas to see all that she was. "It's all right. You don't have to tell me," he stated with a reassuring smile, "I understand."

Her eyes were wide. "What do you mean you understand?" she asked curiously.

He sighed and stared toward the moon. "I have someone like that too. Someone I don't like talking about for specific reasons," he answered nostalgically.

She smiled gently. Perhaps he could understand her. She placed her hand on his shoulder. "I'll tell you about him someday, but for now, I'd rather continue having fun," she answered.

Roxas nodded and smiled at her. She could see the happiness flooding his cerulean gaze. He almost reminded her of Sora. For that instance, he seemed carefree. She kind of liked it. She wanted to make him look this way more often. Not because of Sora, but because she wanted him to be happy. He was her friend, after all.


	4. Chapter 4

_A/N: Next chapter! I'm uploading two tonight. Sooo, thank me? Lol, just kidding. You don't have to thank me. Haha. _

**Lies Bring Us Closer**

**Chapter 4: Wading**

Since both Roxas and Kairi enjoyed their first friend date, they decided to go on even more. They spent nearly every free weekend together. Most of the week Roxas was busy at the hospital and Kairi had things to do at her day job. Surprisingly, she wasn't fired for her random surge of irrationality. She thanked Selphie for covering for her. Though, she never explained to Selphie what happened that day. She didn't want to think about it.

She found that she was smiling more. Everyone around her seemed to notice as well. Selphie was always pestering her about the person that was making her smile so much. Roxas would tease her about it. This was mostly because she always claimed she was an unhappy person. Unhappy people don't smile, is what he'd always say. She didn't care, though. Roxas smiled more often as well.

Kairi felt as if their friendship was just meant to happen. She felt she could be herself around him. She felt like he understood her more than anyone she had met before. With the exception of Sora, of course. It was almost like Roxas was filling the hole in her heart.

Tonight, Roxas invited her over to his apartment. He said he wanted her to try this recipe he was working on. Roxas had always claimed he was a good cook; so naturally, Kairi couldn't wait to try whatever he was making. She also was flattered that he trusted her enough to have her over at his apartment again. The last time she was there was because she nearly drowned. Now, it was so they could spend some quality time together. There was a difference.

She knocked on his front door and patiently waked for him to answer. Kairi had her flaming hair in a ponytail; it swayed around whenever she walked because her hair was so long. She was dressed in a pair of jean shorts and a blue and white striped tank. Her shirt had a hood attached that was also striped with the same colors. She only put on a pair of brown flip flops because she was just going across the way. Roxas had advised her to dress casually so she didn't put much effort into what she was wearing. Finally, he opened the door.

She could see the ingredients of whatever he was making smeared on his cheeks and white apron. She stifled a giggle. It was a strange sight to see. She never thought Roxas was an apron kind of guy. Still, it added to his charm.

He smiled at her. "Sorry, I kind of look like a mess. But come on in. You can watch some tv while I get cleaned up," Roxas suggested. He stepped to the side so Kairi could enter.

She slipped off her shoes and wandered further into the apartment. The last time she was here she hadn't bothered to really take in her surroundings. The entranceway immediately led to the living room. He had a simple, brown loveseat in front of the television stand. There was a matching carpet and a coffee table in-between the two. On the television stand, Roxas had set up some pictures of himself and other people. She couldn't help but study these.

The first picture was of Roxas and some red-headed guy. The strange man seemed to be wearing makeup and he had a keg in his hand. Roxas looked unsure of his surroundings and a little nervous. She thought it was cute. The next picture was just of Roxas standing in front of Disney Castle. She had always wished to go there; she couldn't help but be a little jealous. The next picture was of Roxas and a large group of people. He was the shortest of the group. They were all wearing black cloaks. The people around him seemed positively eccentric. One man that wore an eye patch and had his gray hair in a ponytail was giving Roxas's bunny ears. The same red-headed guy from before had his hand on Roxas's shoulder. Beside Roxas was a blonde guy with a Mohawk-looking style of hair. He was wincing in fear of the angry-looking blue-haired man beside him. She thought it was a funny picture. The last picture was of Roxas and a raven-haired girl. She kind of reminded Kairi of herself. They looked happy. Roxas even had his arms around her.

'_Was this the person Roxas was talking about that night?' _Kairi thought. She stared at the image curiously. She couldn't deny that Roxas had a great taste in women. The girl looked like she was amazing. Her smile was absolutely gorgeous.

"That's Xion."

Kairi turned to see a newly-cleaned Roxas. He had a serious look on his face. She knew she'd hit the nail on the head. Xion was his Sora. "Was she the one you loved?" Kairi asked quietly. She didn't want to bring up any bad memories, but she couldn't help her curiosity.

"Yes, I loved her. She passed away a couple of years ago, though. She and my best friend, Axel, got into a car crash," Roxas explained, "It was the night before our college graduation."

Kairi frowned. She felt terrible for asking now. She could see the pain in his eyes and the stiffness of his features. "I'm sorry, Roxas," she apologized sadly.

He shook his head and gave her a weak smile. "No, it's all right. I've come to terms with it. Besides, I'm not alone anymore. I have you," he answered. His tone and mood didn't seem to change, but she could tell he was making an effort at not being sad.

She walked away from the television stand and took a seat on the couch. "Well, since you told me that. I guess I can tell you about Sora," Kairi said as she stared at Roxas's ceiling. She hardly noticed that he had taken a seat beside her. "He was my best friend since we were young. We spent all our time together as kids and even teenagers. But, when it came time to apply for college and what not he decided that he was going to leave Destiny Islands. I wanted to go with him, but I didn't have the munny to do so. So, he promised to come back once he got his degree. He wanted to be a doctor, just like you. He said he'd come and intern at the Destiny Islands Hospital so we could be together again. I was so deeply in love with him, and before he left he said he loved me too. So I waited, but when the time came for his return he was nowhere to be found. He didn't respond to any of my emails or calls. So, I became hopeless. And a month ago, when he finally did contact me, it was only to break my heart," Kairi explained.

Roxas wore a frown. It almost seemed like he was angry. Kairi didn't know if she had said something to upset him, but she decided it was better to just leave her story as is. If he wanted to know more, he could ask. "I'm sorry, Kairi," he finally uttered.

She shook her head. "No, it's all right. Soon I'll come to terms with it. Besides, just like you, I don't have to be lonely anymore," she answered bravely. One day she would convince herself that she didn't need Sora, one day. She let out a deep sigh and then smiled at the blonde man. He looked as if he was deep in thought. Kairi thought she would spare him the waste of time. There was no use thinking about Sora. "So, what's for dinner?" she asked.

"Oh, hope you like sloppy joes," Roxas answered with a small smile, "I tweaked the recipe a bit. It's really messy."

"How'd you know that was my favorite food? I don't recall telling you that before," Kairi murmured curiously.

He quickly interrupted her recollection of the times they'd spent together. "Just a lucky guess. Let's go eat," he suggested as he stood up. Kairi nodded and followed him to the kitchen table. It was a simple, plywood table. It suited his simple apartment.

She took a seat and watched as Roxas began making the plates. She enjoyed watching him. For some reason, his image just comforted her. It was a feeling she didn't think she'd have for a long time. Even though her heart was broken, Roxas seemed to always find a way of making her feel better.

Their dinner together was quieter than the usual. Kairi couldn't help but be surprised by the fact they were barely saying anything. She wondered if she had done something to upset him. She thought maybe he was still thinking about Xion and Axel. Or perhaps, he was thinking about her situation. She didn't know and she was scared to ask him. She quickly finished her sloppy joe and quietly complimented his recipe. She didn't know what else to do. _'Perhaps he just needs some alone time,' _she thought.

"Well, thanks for the dinner, Roxas," Kairi announced with a smile, "But I think I'm going to go home now."

"Don't," Roxas lingered. She stared at him with curious eyes. She felt frozen. Why wouldn't Roxas want her to leave? He didn't bother to raise his gaze; he continued staring down at his empty plate. It was as if he was hiding his expression on purpose. Kairi didn't understand. "I need you to stay with me," he continued desperately. The tone of his voice called to her. She couldn't resist him.

She quickly scooted her chair closer to Roxas's. She leaned against the table slightly; she was trying to catch a glimpse of Roxas's face. "Roxas?" she called curiously. Before she knew it, Roxas raised his head and pressed his lips against hers. Kairi's eyes were wide and surprised as Roxas gently grabbed her face and pulled her closer to him. She could feel the warmth of his lips seeping into her. Slowly, her mind began to fog over and her eyes dropped shut. She wrapped her arms around Roxas's torso and moved closer.

This was what she needed: love. She knew it was happening fast and she knew she wasn't fully ready to give her heart away again. Still, she couldn't deny that Roxas was slowly seeping into her heart. She wanted to kiss him. She'd never felt that way for anyone besides Sora. Something had to be right about this. Something had to be. So, she let their kiss continue. She let it continue and develop into a full-blown make-out session.

They kissed with such eagerness and despair. She almost felt as if she was convincing herself that Roxas was Sora. What further scared her, was that, she thought Roxas might be imagining her as Xion. But she wouldn't let herself stop and ask. She was too afraid of having this wonderful feeling disappear. For so many years her heart had been aching. Right now, it felt full. She felt loved and accepted. Unfortunately, it had to stop. Roxas pulled away. The emptiness quickly returned to her and she couldn't help but feel a tad disappointed.

"Kairi," he whispered through his quickened breaths, "Move in with me."

She didn't hesitate to answer, "Okay."

Before she could react any further, Roxas pulled her into a tight embrace. "I know you think this is moving fast, but I can't deny my feelings anymore. I love you and I have for such a long time. In college, I saw you so often, but you never noticed me. Now, you'll actually spend time with me. You know that I exist. If I didn't ask to be with you I'd be denying myself happiness for the first time in years," he explained desperately, "I don't want to be alone anymore, Kairi."

"But what about Xion?" Kairi asked worriedly, "I thought you loved her."

"I did love her. But she's no longer here. I can't live in the past. I can be with you now, and though I loved Xion, I love you too," Roxas answered seriously.

She paused. She wasn't sure she was ready to love Roxas. She couldn't move on so quickly. Even though her heart wanted to move on to Roxas, it couldn't move so quickly. "I'm not ready to tell you I love you," Kairi answered quietly, "Not today, but maybe one day. Please understand me, I want to love you, but I can't just yet."

To her surprise, he nodded. "I understand, Kairi," he answered gently. He caressed her cheek and smiled at her. "You can have all the time you need," he added sweetly.

This had to be a dream. There was no way someone as sweet as Roxas could exist. Kairi smiled and felt her eyes becoming watery. She was so overwhelmed by her feelings; she didn't know how to feel anymore. So she cried. She grabbed onto Roxas's white t-shirt and cried. He only held her tighter and let her cry for as long as she wanted. This had to be a dream.


	5. Chapter 5

_A/N: The next chapter. I hope you all enjoy it! I've been getting good reviews so far :) I like to hear your feedback so don't be afraid to leave me some!_

**Lies Bring Us Closer**

**Chapter 5: Searching**

It wasn't a dream.

It'd been a whole month since Kairi spontaneously decided to move in with Roxas, and things were going great. They got along so well. She thought it was strange that Roxas shared all of her living oddities. They both enjoyed buying ice cream buckets just to eat out of them with spoons, drinking straight out of the milk carton, dressing in the bathroom, using a dry erase board as a means of communication, and even, falling asleep to a sound maker. She didn't question Roxas, though. She thought that might be insulting. Still, she was enjoying each day she shared with him.

After the kiss they shared on sloppy joe night, Roxas never attacked her that way again. Once Kairi had told him she wasn't ready to love, just yet, he agreed to take it slow. Kairi thought this was the sweetest thing. In fact, the thought of it just filled her with warm feelings. She could tell that Roxas really cared about her. For the first time she had someone waiting for her, not vice versa. It felt great.

This didn't mean she was planning on leading Roxas on. No, she wasn't going to be as cruel as Sora. She knew she liked Roxas; she liked him a whole bunch. It was only a matter of time before her heart finally melted to his charms. It did a bit every day.

But for right now, she was eagerly waiting for him to come home from his internship. Yes, Roxas had landed the internship at Destiny Islands Hospital. They celebrated that day with dinner at Paopu Hut. She was flipping the channels on the television. "There's nothing on," she whined. She stopped on the drama channel and decided to give whatever soap opera was on a try.

"Oh, Derrick. How was I supposed to know it was all a lie? How could you lead me on?"

"I didn't, Odette. You insisted on holding on too long."

"I loved you!"

"Love is fickle. Just ask your husband, John Bob."

"What?"

Kairi turned off the television. "I don't need to watch anything like that," she muttered. She sighed and rested her feet on the coffee table. Roxas would be home in five minutes, and she didn't know how to occupy her time until then. Usually he came home with all sorts of stories about what happened at work that day. She enjoyed listening. Her boring job at the office didn't grant her any excitement.

She turned her head to the side and glanced at the kitchen. It looked like it could use some cleaning. She sighed and stood up. At least, it was something to do. She straightened out her polka dot, red dress as she walked into the kitchen. She was sure Roxas didn't need to come home to the sight of her breasts hanging out of the dress. That would make things awkward.

Kairi quickly began cleaning the counters and stove top. Roxas didn't know much about cleaning so she usually took care of that. She walked over to the pantry and pulled out the broom. She began to sweep the floor and made sure to get under all the tables. It was then she noticed something peculiar. There was a button-like object underneath the center of the table. _'How'd I miss that before?' _she thought curiously. She bent down and crawled under the table so that she could get a better look.

"Kairi!"

She yelped and jumped; she ended up hitting her head on the table. "Ah, oh. Hello, Roxas," she greeted as she rubbed her head. She quickly crawled from under the table and stood up to greet her roommate. "Why'd you scream?" she asked curiously. Could it have something to do with the button?

He smiled nervously. "I was just so happy to see you," he answered; she could tell it was a lie. She trusted Roxas, though. So, she didn't pester him about the mystery of the button.

She smiled at him and pulled him into a happy hug. "I'm happy to see you too. I've been waiting very eagerly for you," she replied as she pulled away, "So, I was thinking we could microwave some pasta tonight and watch the movie marathon."

"Well, that sounds nice. We could make some popcorn too," Roxas suggested, "But I'm gonna shower and go change into something more comfortable. Mind getting it started?"

Kairi grinned and gave him a nod. She watched as he walked into the bedroom they shared. Oddly enough, Roxas's bedroom was big enough to fit both her bed and his bed. She couldn't complain, though. It was nice to have someone to spend the day with. She didn't like being alone.

She pulled the pasta meal out of the freezer and prepared it for cooking. _'Sora and I used to watch movie marathons all the time. I can't wait to watch one with Roxas. I bet he's a better person to watch movies with too,' _she thought as she popped the meal into the oven. She could barely contain her excitement.

Roxas stepped out of the bedroom dressed in a navy blue tank and a pair of loose jeans. She smiled; she thought he looked cute. Blue was one of her favorite colors to see him in. Regardless of the shade, the color always brought out his eyes. "So, how was work?" Kairi asked.

"Ah, today was boring. The only person that came in today was a little girl with a broken arm," Roxas explained; this was followed by a short yawn. Kairi giggled. "I'm sorry. I'm just a little tired," he quickly apologized.

She shook her head. "No, it's fine. These movies will definitely wake you up," she cheered.

"We'll just have to see about that," Roxas jested with a small smirk. He reached into the top cabinet and pulled out a bag of popcorn. She took it out of the plastic and placed it in the microwave.

Soon the food was ready and the movie marathon began. Kairi had explained to Roxas she found out about the marathon since she spent most of her free time flipping channels. The first movie to show was a horror film. It was named 'Holler'. Kairi decided to conveniently leave out that she absolutely detested scary movies. He was quick to find out on his own, though.

Every time something happened on the screen, Kairi freaked out. She would scream. She would cling onto Roxas's arm with a death grip. She would tremble and even jump. She wasn't even through half the movie when she started shaking uncontrollably.

Roxas chuckled, "You sure you can handle this movie?"

"O-Of course. Why wouldn't I be able to?" Kairi asked. She tried to act oblivious to her actions.

He laughed some more. "Kairi, it's okay if you're scared," he whispered. He set the bowl of popcorn on the coffee table with their empty pasta plates. He scooted closer to Kairi and put his arms around her. Her shaking immediately stopped. "I'm right here with you," he whispered, "No need to be afraid."

Kairi found his eyes absolutely mesmerizing. The blue gleam seemed to seep into her soul. She felt that his words were true. "Okay, Roxas," she managed to whisper back. He smiled at her and resumed watching the movie. She rested her head on his shoulder and was soon lost in her thoughts. She couldn't help but compare Roxas and Sora. Whenever she was scared by a movie, Sora would just pause it and wait for her to calm down. He never went far enough to comfort her like Roxas did. Perhaps Roxas was a better man? She didn't know, but she wanted to find out.


	6. Chapter 6

_A/N: Okay, so my classes officially start tomorrow! This means I'll be busy, very busy. But bear with me. I'm just a freshman in college XD I gotta learn the ropes. I'll also have a job! So, I'm just going to update as fast and as soon as I can. _

**Lies Bring Us Closer**

**Chapter 6: Thrashing**

Kairi breathed in the sweet, ocean air. It was nearly midnight, but for some reason she felt compelled to come to the island. She looked at her surroundings. Her eyes crossed over the gentle waves, the wooden, makeshift dock, the wooden shack near the waterfall, the wooden bridge that linked the small island with the paopu tree, and the bright moon. She let out a small sigh as she seated herself on the shoreline. She let her feet touch the warm water that blanketed the shore; it sent chills down her spine.

"I wonder why I wanted to come out here so suddenly. Could it be you, Sora?" Kairi asked the sky. She had left the shared apartment abruptly. It was clearly shown by the way she was dressed. She was still in her pink, silky nightgown. She only bothered to throw on a brown jacket, and it wasn't even hers. It belonged to Roxas. "So, what's supposed to happen to me here?" Kairi asked again. She looked around the island once more. This time her eyes grazed over the boat-like structure between the rocks, the wooden hut hidden away in the trees, and the hole in the rock; the Secret Place.

Slowly, Kairi brought herself to her feet as she stared at the cave. She knew where she had to go. She quickly ran across the sandy shore and jumped onto the ledge that separated shore from lightly sanded ground. She ran past the running waterfall and into the dark cavern. She ducked down as she slowly scurried. Kairi made sure she didn't trip over any roots or rocks. _'I remember years ago, I didn't have to duck down,'_ she giggled as she continued down the long passage. Finally, she reached the opening.

The moonlight blanketed the open space with a bluish tint. She looked at all the stony walls and found their childhood drawings were still there, etched in the stone forever. She trailed her hand over the stones as she studied each drawing. She giggled at some and just smiled at others. She remembered that she, Sora, and their friend Riku enjoyed coming here. It was their spot. No one else knew about it.

She spotted one drawing in particular at one of the top stones. It was of a gigantic monster. Riku was depicted as fighting the beast, while Sora stayed by her side and guarded her. That was how their play days went. Riku and Sora play-fought all the time with wooden swords, but Sora would often stop and spend time with her. Those were the good old days. "If only Riku didn't move, maybe Sora wouldn't have gone," she thought aloud as she moved on to look at other pictures.

She passed a weird tree root and then came to another special carving. She knelt down and rested her hand on the surface of the rock. This drawing depicted Sora and Kairi's faces. Hands were drawn with paopu fruits in them. It was their special drawing that symbolized just how much they were supposed to care for each other. She frowned and tried to swallow back the constriction on her throat. She hated looking at this picture. At one point, it had meant so much to her. But now those feelings were null and void. At least, on his side they were. He didn't care about her anymore.

Kairi wiped some rogue tears away from her cheeks. "Is this what I was called out here for? To cry?" Kairi angrily asked as she stared at the picture. _'What is this? Torture?' _she thought with a shake of her head. She was done with this; she had to get over Sora. Kairi turned away and leaned against the rock as her cries gradually grew louder. The more she thought about the picture, the sadder she became. The memories she once cherished now felt like poison to her lips.

"_Kairi, whatcha makin'?" _

_Kairi laughed and turned her to her brunette friend. She rolled her gleaming, purple eyes and grinned. "I'm making a thallassa shell," she answered cheerily, "It's supposed to be like a good luck charm. It ensures safety for travelers." _

_The boy curiously leaned closer. He squinted his bright, cerulean eyes to get a better look. "Hm, kinda looks like a humanoid star," he assessed, "Oh, well. If that's what you're into." Kairi laughed and pushed him away. "Hey!" he protested with a small, fake pout. _

"_Don't criticize my work, Sora. Now, I'm not making you one. They'll only be for me and Riku," Kairi teased with a giggle. _

_Sora whined loudly. "Aw, come on! I thought we were all friends. I take back what I said, i-it's kinda cute," Sora pleaded, "Please make me one, Kai." _

_She tossed her red hair and tapped her chin. How could she make Sora work for this? She got an idea. She turned back to Sora and grinned. "If you run laps across the beach I'll make one for you. Now get going, you lazy bum," Kairi urged with a wave of her free hand. _

"_Fine!" Sora whined, "But I better get the best one, Kai!" They laughed. _

Kairi sniffled as she wiped the tears from her eyes. They were so carefree. Then, life just had to interrupt them. She hugged her knees and buried her head into her knees. "This is so unfair," she muttered angrily. He should've been back. If he wasn't planning on coming back, why did he tell her he would? It wasn't like Sora to lie. It also wasn't like Sora to say such mean things to her. There was no way college could've changed his personality that much. The only way she could be sure was if she asked Sora in person.

"Maybe I should…I should go to Sora and ask him," Kairi uttered as she slowly raised her head from her lap. She didn't see any other solution for her heart; she had to talk to him. She wanted to know if he really changed that much. She had to know.

"No!"

Kairi nearly screamed. She quickly jumped to her feet and staggered a bit to find the source of the voice. "R-Roxas?" she called quizzically, "H-How did you know about this place?"

His eyes fell to the floor. He looked uncertain. "I-I followed you when you left the apartment. I was worried you were going to do something stupid," he confessed, "But I'm sorry. I should've announced my presence sooner."

She was speechless. Roxas had followed her and didn't even say something when she was in tears? Why would he do that? "Why didn't you say anything?" Kairi demanded. She couldn't help but frown.

"I didn't want to interrupt your personal time. I was about to leave, but then you said _that_," Roxas explained.

"What's wrong with seeking out Sora?" Kairi asked.

He walked over to her and grabbed her hands roughly. "Kairi, he hurt you! He doesn't deserve you anymore. He didn't appreciate you and he lied to you. You let me read that email. Why would you want to talk to someone like that? I know he was different in the past, but he's obviously changed now. Why can't you just accept that?" Roxas asked. He almost seemed like he was begging her not to go. He seemed desperate. It was like he was afraid of Sora.

Kairi snatched her hands away from him and took a step back. "Look, Roxas. You can't control me. I know we're friends, but you've got to let me deal with my problems on my own," Kairi replied.

"I'm just worried about you. I don't want to see you that hurt," Roxas answered gently, "Please just hear me out. He's a jerk."

She paused. The email Sora sent her was pretty much 'jerk' material. She knew Roxas was right. There was no need digging up old business, but she really felt it wasn't something Sora would do. Something didn't feel right with her. "I don't know, Roxas. It just doesn't feel like Sora did it," Kairi mumbled doubtfully.

He shook his head. "You're just in denial, Kairi. You don't know him anymore. It's been years since you've seen him. He could be a completely different person now," Roxas urged, "Don't do this."

Once again, he was right. It had been years and he probably did change. She certainly wasn't the same girl she was in high school. She frowned. "I guess…you're right," she uttered hesitantly; "I guess I am in denial about Sora. But can you blame me? Roxas, he was my world!" The tears were already beginning to slide down her tender cheeks again. She looked at the ground and clenched her fists. "How can I learn to forget him? He meant everything to me, everything. I've told myself this for so long. How can I let it all go? How can I –." Before she could finish, Roxas grabbed her shoulders and pulled her into a tight hug. She couldn't restrain herself any longer; it all came out. She cried and cried as loudly as her body would allow her.

Roxas stroked the strands of her hair and held her close. "It's all right now, Kairi. You can let him go. You don't have to hold onto him anymore, because you're not alone. I'm here now," he cooed. She wrapped her arms around him and clung to him as tightly as possible. He was right. She had to let him go.


	7. Chapter 7

_A/N: Just another chapter before I have to slow down for a while. Hope you enjoy it! Tell me what you think!_

**Lies Bring Us Closer**

**Chapter 7: Paddling**

"Roxas!" Kairi shouted as she searched the hallways of the hospital. The nurse at the desk had told her Roxas would be on this floor. She had yet to run into him. "Roxas!" she called again. There was still no sign of the blonde haired man anywhere. She sighed and clutched the sack that was in her hand. He had forgotten his lunch at home this morning so she decided she would bring it to him on her lunch break. She thought she would have time for both. She sighed again and lightly fell against a wall. Where could he be?

"Did I hear you looking for Roxas?"

She turned her head to the right and spotted a tall, blue-haired man. He looked similar to the one in Roxas's picture on the television stand. The only difference was he had no scar on his forehead. She found this odd, but decided not to question it. "Uh, yes, yes I am," she answered, "Where is he? He forgot his lunch."

The man chuckled, "He's in the rest room. He got a bit squeamish at the sight of a woman's blood. It's just down the hall. You can't miss it."

"Thank you!" Kairi exclaimed with a warm smile. She quickly turned away and hurried down the hallway. She scanned each door for the sign of the 'rest room'. She found a door labeled such and quickly pushed it open. Sure enough, Roxas was there lying in one of the beds. She smiled; his eyes were closed. "Do you think you can stomach your lunch?" she asked gently. His eyes quickly fluttered open. She hadn't noticed how long his blonde lashes were.

He smiled at her. "What are you doing here?" he asked; she could tell he was happy to see her.

"You forgot your lunch. I can't stay long, though. My lunch break is almost over," Kairi explained. She placed the sack lunch next to him on the bed. "I think I just met one of your co-workers," she added, "He seemed nice."

"Who'd you meet?" Roxas asked; it almost seemed like a demand. Kairi couldn't mistake the tension in his voice. He seemed like he was growing hostile.

"Um, he had long blue hair and golden eyes," Kairi described, "His voice was kind of monotone, too."

"Oh," Roxas deadpanned, "He's not a co-worker. He's a superior. He's kind of a creep so try to stay away from him, okay?" Kairi slowly nodded; she didn't understand. She could tell the thought of that guy angered Roxas. "I'll walk you out, how about that?" Roxas suggested. His smile quickly returned.

"That sounds nice," she answered. She helped Roxas out of bed and made sure he had his lunch. Together, they exited the room and began their walk down the halls of the third floor. Kairi thought they would take the elevator down to the ground floor, but Roxas insisted on taking the stairs. She decided not to question his decision. "So, Roxas. You know what today is, right?" Kairi asked. Roxas only shook his head. "Today marks five months since I moved in," Kairi chirped with a smile, "I want today to be special. So, expect to come home to a treat."

"A treat?" Roxas murmured. His eyes were filled with curiosity.

"Yeah, a treat. My treat to you," Kairi replied coyly. She jumped a couple of steps down and turned to face him. She had a mischievous gleam in her eye. "Would you like a bit of it now?" she offered. She could see the blush beginning to spread across Roxas's face.

"I am curious," he mumbled quietly as he moved closer to her. She could feel his breath on her face; it was hitched. He was nervous, she could tell. She placed her hands on his shoulders and brought herself even closer to his face. She stared deep into his eyes. They seemed glossed over. She slowly leaned in and planted a light kiss on the surface of his lips. "Whoa," escaped his lips.

She couldn't help but giggle at his reaction. "That's only a taste of what you'll get tonight. I have an announcement to make," Kairi explained with a playful tone, "But anyway, I'll be off! Don't want to be late!" She turned away from Roxas and began to run down the rest of the stairs.

It may have taken six months, but she had finally decided what she was going to do. She would give Roxas a chance. He'd been so nice to her. He was so comforting. She couldn't deny the feeling in her heart and the buzzing in her mind. He was right for her. He cared about her. Sora didn't and he never would. That time of her life was over; she was ready to move on. And she was sure, with Roxas's help, that she could make a full recovery. She was ready.

Once her shift was over at the office, she hurried home to the apartment. She immediately began cooking the dinner she'd been working on learning for a week. Kairi wasn't the greatest cook, but there was no way she could go wrong with this meal. She decided she was going to make chicken breasts in a seasoned, tomato sauce. This would be accompanied by steamed rice and serving of mixed vegetables. She wanted something romantic, and this seemed romantic enough.

The cooking didn't go exactly as planned. Some things were burned and others just tasted dry. She frowned and stared at the meal she struggled to make. "This will just have to do," she muttered sadly. Kairi turned to look at the clock; she had thirty minutes until Roxas would return home. She quickly ran into the bedroom to start getting dressed. She would have to move quickly.

She pulled out her little red dress and placed it on her bed. She went into the bathroom connected to the bedroom and began to do her makeup and hair. She decided she would go for something sexy; something that a movie actress would wear. She applied thick, red lipstick and shadowy eye shadow. She made sure to emphasize the eyeliner and mascara. Kairi frowned. _'Now I look like I'm trying too hard,' _she mentally whined. It was too late to change it now. She grabbed her curling iron and began curling her hair. She wanted something that said sexy. Unfortunately, she got a look that said I'm seven years old. She curled her curls too tightly and ended up looking like Shirley Temple.

Kairi ran her fingers through her hair to try and loosen the curls, but nothing seemed to work. She finally decided to leave it as is. She only had around ten minutes left till Roxas arrived home. She ran back into the bedroom and stripped down to her undergarments. She was already dressed in a pair of her delicates. She had a matching pair of black, lacey thong and bra. She slipped on the red dress and then ran to the full-length mirror hanging on the bathroom door. The dress was held on by very thin straps. The straps connected to the body of the dress that immediately dipped in the front and provided a nice view of Kairi's matured bosom. The dress hugged her hips and clung to her legs. It ended somewhere at the middle of her thigh.

"I guess this will have to do," Kairi muttered as she fiddled with the strands of her hair. She wasn't fully pleased, but it was too late to do anything. Roxas would be home any minute.

"I'm home!"

She grinned. She tugged at her dress and straightened her back. It was time to impress. She stepped out of the bedroom and spotted Roxas hanging his jacket on the coat rack. She grinned and scurried toward him. "Good evening, Roxas!" she chimed. She paused in front of him and winked. A blush instantly spread across his face.

"K-Kairi," he gasped as his eyes looked her over. She couldn't help but smirk in satisfaction. "Why do you look like that?" he asked.

She smiled and stepped closer to him. She placed her hands on his chest. "Because tonight is special. Now go change into something comfortable and I'll start serving dinner," she instructed. She watched the bewildered Roxas walk into his bedroom and close the door behind him. _'It looks like it's working. Now to get through dinner and make my announcement,' _she thought.

Soon dinner was served and Roxas and Kairi were seated at the kitchen table. She made sure to sit close to him. They chatted a bit about Roxas's work and what he did that day. Apparently, Roxas had to take care of a girl with a bad rash. He didn't like it too much.

"So, what was your announcement?" Roxas asked. He looked like he'd been waiting to ask that question all night.

She smiled. "I wanted to announce that I want to give us a chance," Kairi admitted shyly. She'd been planning for this all week; she shouldn't be nervous. Yet, for some reason, when she said those words she actually felt unsure of herself. She felt as though there was still some chance she might be rejected. At the same time, she also felt extremely happy. It was a feeling she hadn't had in a while. Sink or swim, it's what Riku would always say.

"Really?" Roxas awed. He looked excited. The happiness was practically glowing off of his skin. She liked to see him so happy. Kairi nodded. "Then, Kairi, will you be my girlfriend?" he asked gingerly.

"Of course," Kairi replied quietly. She didn't know why, but she wanted to cry. It was a happy moment, and yet, she wanted to let the tears run freely. She didn't feel sad or overwhelmed. She didn't understand her emotions. "I don't know why, but I kind of want to cry," she confessed as she began wiping her eyes for ghost tears.

Roxas stroked her cheek and stared into her eyes. "Maybe it's because you're extremely happy," he whispered as their faces grew closer.

"Perhaps," Kairi breathed just as their lips met. She felt the rush of butterflies flutter through her stomach as she wrapped her arms around his neck. It didn't matter that they just ate or that there was a bit of sauce on Roxas's chin. This was perfect. This is what Kairi had always wanted. Something simple, something pure. She pulled away and rested her forehead on his. She enjoyed the slight tickle of his blonde bangs. "I really, really like you," she whispered sweetly. She detected a bit of sadness in his eyes. She frowned. "What's wrong?" she asked.

He moved away and shook his head. There was a bittersweet smile on his lips. "Nothing is wrong. Everything's perfect," he answered almost cautiously, "I just wonder why you chose me."

She giggled and took Roxas's hands in her own. She rubbed circles on the surface of his calloused palms as she smiled at him. "I chose you, because you care for me. Ever since I met you, you've been taking care of me. When I'm sad, you let me cry on your shoulder until I feel better. When I'm happy, you accept my upbeat personality. And when I feel like anything else, you deal with it just fine. How could I not chose you?" Kairi asked.

He rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, I can't argue with that. I love you, Kairi," he confessed.

"Oh, Roxas," she whispered as she pulled him into another embrace.

This was right; it had to be.


	8. Chapter 8

_A/N: This one is pretty short so I'm going to upload Chapter Nine too. I can see that you all like this story a whole bunch! And I'm really grateful. When I started working on it I initially thought it would be boring. I guess I was wrong. Well, please continue to tell me what you think about how I'm doing so far. It gives me encouragement and lets me know what I can do to make it an even better reading experience for you all!_

**Lies Bring Us Closer**

**Chapter 8: Raining**

Kairi was cuddled up in her bed. She was facing away from the window and wrapped tightly within her pink blanket. Across from her, in the other bed, Roxas was sleeping soundlessly. She, on the other hand, hadn't gotten a bit of sleep since the storm started. Outside their apartment a terrible thunderstorm was raining down on the island. Lightning seemed to be striking everywhere. The thunder was the loudest she'd ever heard. The rain was so heavy it struck the window pane with loud bangs. Kairi hated thunderstorms; they scared her.

She turned her messy redhead to glance at Roxas. He was sleeping with a smile on his face. _'I don't understand him,' _she thought with a sigh. The thunder struck outside with a loud crashing sound. Kairi struggled to stifle her scream. She clutched her pillow and trembled in fear.

When she lived alone she was free to scream and cry as loud as she wanted. Now she had to be quiet so Roxas could sleep. She didn't want to rob him of precious sleep. He worked long hours, after all. She wanted to go and sleep next to him, but they had only been dating for a month and a half. She didn't want to move too fast. She bit down on her bottom lip and clung to her pillow. She was squeezing the stuffing out of it.

"Kairi, come over here."

The hoarse voice was none other than Roxas. She released her pillow and sat up in her bed. Roxas was already awake and walking toward her bed side. "Oh, did I wake you?" Kairi asked shamefully, "I'm really sorry about that."

He shook his head. "No, I woke up naturally. I just happened to hear your quiet cries when I did. You should've told me you didn't like storms," Roxas lectured.

She blushed. "It's kind of an embarrassing thing to admit," she confessed, "It makes me feel juvenile."

He shook his head again. "Ah, Kairi. Well, you can sleep with me tonight if that'll make you feel better. I don't mind," Roxas suggested. He offered his hand.

"Are you sure that's not moving too fast?" Kairi asked; she still felt unsure. She didn't want to push herself into Roxas's personal bubble.

"Don't worry about it," he assured.

"Well, okay," Kairi agreed. She took his hand and stepped out of bed. He put his arm around her waist and walked her over to his bed. The thunder struck as they got there. Kairi half-shrieked and leapt into Roxas's bed. He stifled a chuckle.

Kairi quickly burrowed underneath Roxas's blanket and stared at him. "Are you coming?" she urged. She was panicked. Roxas slid underneath his blanket and wrapped his arms around her. She snuggled into his night shirt and clamped her eyes shut.

"Is this better?" Roxas whispered into her ear. She only nodded. "Good night, Kairi."

"Good night, Roxas," she breathed as she began to slip into her sleep. Somehow sleeping next to Roxas made her feel safe. Even when she would sleep next to Sora during storms she wouldn't feel this safe. She'd usually end up crying herself to sleep. She'd barely made a peep in his arms. That was, until the thunder struck and the lightning lit up the room. Even with closed eyes, Kairi could see. "Roxas!" she cried. She quickly clung to his sides and trembled.

He rubbed her back and held her tightly. "Don't worry, I'm here. I won't leave you. I'll protect you from everything," he cooed. Somehow this relaxed her. She began to release her dangerously tight grip as Roxas whispered sweet things into her ear. He knew just what to say to her.

"Don't leave me," she murmured as she drifted off into sleep.

Roxas smiled and continued to rub her back. "I'll never leave your side," he vowed quietly.


	9. Chapter 9

_A/N: As promised! Here's chapter nine! Once I finish my homework I'll get to finishing up chapter 10 so it can be posted later too. I'm really excited about your guy's excitement about this. The chapters will probably be getting longer from this point on. I have so much to cover. Yes! It's amazing this story actually has a plot. Lol. I hope it all shocks you! _

**Lies Bring Us Closer**

**Chapter 9: Submerge**

"Happy three-month anniversary!" Kairi cheered. She already had her arms wrapped around Roxas's neck. She nuzzled the nape of his neck with a wide smile on her face. "The days just seem to fly by when I'm with you," she whispered cheerily.

He smiled and held Kairi against him. "Nah, they don't fly by. They're just better," Roxas explained. He lifted one hand from her waist and began to stroke her red locks. Kairi giggled and held him tighter. She loved it when he stroked her hair.

"You're right," she agreed. She pulled away and smiled at her blonde boyfriend. She was dressed in a yellow, frilly, button-down top, a pair of light, skinny jeans, and a matching pair of yellow wedges. Her long hair was pulled back into a curled pony tail. Roxas said he liked her hair that way the best, so she loved wearing it that way. "So, what're we doing to celebrate? You didn't tell me to get all dressed up for nothing, right?" Kairi teased.

Roxas shook his head. "Of course not. Today I'm taking you dancing," he proudly announced, "I know you said you loved to dance. So, I thought we could dance together."

She grinned happily. Roxas just proved to be sweeter with every passing day. "You're so thoughtful," Kairi praised. She quickly leaned in and pecked his lips. She enjoyed the feeling of his soft lips against hers, but she knew now wasn't the time for intense kissing. Now was the time for intense dancing. She linked her hands behind her back and stared at Roxas with expectant, indigo eyes. "So, where are we dancing?" Kairi chirped curiously.

"The new club that opened up, Secret Shore," Roxas answered.

"Yay! Okay, let's get going then!" Kairi cheered. She gently grabbed Roxas's hand and led him to the door. She grabbed her coat from the rack and slipped it on. She then grabbed Roxas's jacket and helped him put it on. She enjoyed helping him with his clothing. It made her feel useful.

In only a couple of minutes, Roxas and Kairi were out of the apartment complex and walking down the street toward Secret Shore. Kairi could barely contain her excitement. She felt as if she hadn't danced in forever. Sure, she had her little jives in the kitchen or living room when Roxas wasn't home, but it wasn't the same. Now, she could dance with Roxas. She couldn't wait to show him her moves. She also couldn't wait to seduce him with her moves. It was a win-win-win situation.

Surprisingly, Secret Shore wasn't located too far away from their apartment complex. They arrived within the half hour. Kairi excitedly pulled Roxas into the club. The sound of the music boomed through their bodies as they made their way to a table. Kairi was on cloud nine; she'd never felt so alive. "Isn't this great!" she practically screamed. It was hard to talk over the loud music. She scooted into the booth next to Roxas. She rested her head on his shoulder and stared into his eyes. He looked a little freaked; Kairi couldn't blame him. She imagined this wasn't his scene, which is why she was so thankful for the fact that he brought her.

"Uhh, yeah," Roxas shouted back. It sounded more like a whisper.

She smiled and placed her hand on his. "Ready to dance?" Kairi asked.

"Ready as I'll ever be!" Roxas exclaimed. Kairi couldn't tell if he was excited or extremely scared. It didn't matter. Roxas was going to dance and he was going to like it. She was convinced.

She pulled him out the booth and began to weave her way through the dancing crowd. Once she found a place she liked she turned her attention to Roxas. He was standing beside her awkwardly. The look on his face screamed 'I feel very uncomfortable', but Kairi knew how to change that. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled her body intimately close to him. She watched as his eyes glazed over; she couldn't help but smile at her success.

Next, she began swaying her hips around with the music. She was hoping he would join her, but he remained as still as a log. Kairi laughed; he needed a bit more help than she thought. She dropped her hands to his hips and began to sway them in rhythm with hers.

Roxas's eyes widened. "K-Kairi!" he cried. He sounded as if he had just been sexually violated.

"Come on, Roxas. You can't just stand there while I do all the work. We gotta dance!" Kairi exclaimed, "Now put your arms around me. Let's do this right." Roxas did as he was told. He placed his hands on Kairi's waist and Kairi returned her arms to his neck. To her surprise, Roxas didn't stop swaying his hips. She grinned; he was getting the hang of it. She decided it was all right to move onto the next step.

Kairi took a step back and Roxas followed. She took a step forward and Roxas took a step back. "That's it!" she praised as they continued the two-step. He smiled; he actually smiled. This warmed Kairi's heart. He was having fun.

He moved his left arm and pulled Kairi's arm away from his neck. He linked hands with her and added more steps to their dance. He stepped to the left, to the right, backward, and forward. "This is fun," he cheered. It was out of character for him, but Kairi wasn't complaining. She loved seeing Roxas so happy. He looked like he was truly enjoying himself.

"I told ya!" Kairi quipped with a sly smile. She took a step back and allowed herself to be twirled by Roxas. She quickly closed the gap between their bodies. She felt the heat and electricity hit her body as she continued to dance with him. She couldn't help but think he was extremely attractive. She could see the sweat forming on his brow. She smirked and stepped away from her partner. She wanted him to chase her, to want her.

"Hey, babe! What do you say you come home with me?"

A foreign arm grabbed Kairi's. She seized and tried to yank her arm away, but the grip overpowered her. She turned to lock eyes with some random, drunk geezer. He was balding and dressed in a tattered, brown suit. "Get away from me, scum!" Kairi demanded as she shook her arm. He didn't release her.

"You're hot, come on, we can have some fun," the man slurred.

Before Kairi could respond, Roxas did for her. He acted with lightning speed. He grabbed the man's hand and knocked it away from Kairi, who quickly scurried behind him. "Don't you touch her," Roxas seethed dangerously. The man seemed to find this humorous.

"Don't waste your energy on him, Roxas. He's drunk," Kairi reasoned. She placed her hand on Roxas's shoulder and smiled at him. "I'm all right," she cooed.

Roxas growled and turned away from the drunk. "Let's get out of here," he muttered loudly. He grabbed Kairi's hand and began to pull her through the mob of dancing islanders. Kairi silently followed him. She couldn't say she was in the mood for dancing anymore, either. She cursed the drunk for ruining their good mood.

He hurried her home. He looked paranoid. Kairi couldn't blame him. She felt a bit paranoid herself. That guy in the club had really scared her. He hurried her up the stairwell and into their apartment. He double locked the front door and then trudged to their bedroom. Kairi followed after him with a worried look on her face. It felt as if there was a rain cloud hanging over Roxas's head.

"Roxas," she gently called as she silently slipped into their bedroom. She quietly closed the door behind her. "Are you all right?" she asked. Roxas was already stripping the button-down, royal blue shirt he had worn to the club. Kairi tried to focus on the mood as temptation pushed her to her limits. She couldn't help but stare at Roxas's toned muscles. She'd never seen him shirtless before now, (which was amazing, because they shared an apartment.) She couldn't help but admire the structure of his torso. He looked like he'd been chiseled by angels, or at least to her he did. She wanted to run her fingers down his chest. _'Ah, Kairi! Snap out of it!' _She bit down on her bottom lip as she cautiously approached him.

He wore a straight frown. "I'm sorry, Kairi. I didn't mean to act like that in the club. Something just came over me. I didn't want that guy hurting you," he whispered sadly, "I'm sorry that I ruined our anniversary."

"Oh, Roxas. How could you think that?" Kairi gasped, "You didn't ruin anything. You saved me!" She smiled weakly as she stared at Roxas's saddened composure. He looked really worried. It was like her words hadn't even reached him. She pressed on. "Roxas, the night is still young," she whispered.

"It's nearly midnight," Roxas deadpanned. His gaze dropped to the floor, but Kairi wouldn't have that. Her tender hands reached and grabbed his chin. She forced him to look at her. "Kairi," he murmured pathetically. She placed her finger on his lips, silencing his regrets.

"You did what any man would. You protected your girlfriend, and for that, she's very grateful," she breathed as she crept closer to his face. She could feel his hot breath on her face; it was a comforting, enticing feeling. "But you should put on a shirt. You're tempting me too much," Kairi whispered. She felt her cheeks redden as the temperature rose throughout her body. Did she really just say that?

Roxas blushed a deep red. "A-Ah, I'm so sorry," he stammered as he pulled away from Kairi's grip. He looked around the room and found one of his t-shirts lying on his bed. He grabbed it and quickly slipped it on.

Kairi giggled, "Wouldn't want to rush into anything." Part of her felt like she was lying.

Roxas cocked a smile. "Rush? I wouldn't call it a rush," he breathed seductively. He crept closer to Kairi and wrapped his arms around her waist. She could see the hazy glow in his eyes as his eyes traced her body. Kairi didn't move away. In fact, she copied his actions and pulled him closer. She felt herself fading to the heat of the moment. She almost wanted to – no, she couldn't. Roxas closed his eyes and planted a kiss on her lips. It was as if electricity had surged through her; she was losing control.

As quick as he moved in, he pulled away. She wasn't given a chance to fully relish in the moment. Roxas smiled at her and pecked her cheek. "I won't do anything you're not ready for," he whispered with a slight grin, "Should go get ready for bed before I beat you to the bathroom."

"Ah! Hey!" Kairi protested. She could still feel the tingles creeping across her skin.


	10. Chapter 10

**Lies Bring Us Closer**

**Chapter 10: Immersed**

"So, Kairi, these past months you've been pretty happy," Selphie chirped. The two women were on their lunch break and Selphie insisted they go eat together. Selphie took Kairi to The Seashell, and insisted on knowing the reason for Kairi's sudden change of attitude. Kairi still hadn't told anyone she was dating Roxas. No one had really asked her about it.

Kairi smiled and shrugged. "I met someone a while ago. I moved in with him and now we're dating," Kairi nonchalantly explained. The look on Selphie's face was priceless. Kairi swore she never saw a mouth that could open wider than Selphie's. It was like a hole in the middle of her face. Her green eyes were practically falling out of her head. She stifled a laugh, "What?"

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Selphie burst, "How long?" She leaned across the table and stared Kairi in the eyes.

Kairi blushed and diverted her gaze to the folded napkin on the table. "As of today, it's been six months. It'll be seven soon," Kairi answered cautiously. She knew this information was going to make Selphie explode. And it did. Selphie released such a loud squeal that the restaurant and its inhabitants jumped. "Ssh! You're making a scene!" Kairi begged.

Selphie fell back in her chair. "That's such a long time," she whined tragically, "Isn't that something you tell a friend?"

"I guess. It just never came up," Kairi explained, "I didn't mean to keep a secret."

Selphie sighed loudly. "Fine, fine. I now understand why you hurry home after work. So, does he love you? What's he look like? Is he hot? Have you had sex?" she asked curiously. Selphie always had to know the details about everyone and everything.

Kairi flushed red. Selphie's questions were so embarrassing. "He has really spiky, blonde hair. The cutest cerulean eyes. He's average height, tanned, and pretty built. I'd say he was hot. And no, we have not had sex. I can't believe you asked me that. And yes, he does love me," Kairi answered. Her face was growing redder and redder by the minute.

"Do you love him?" Selphie asked. She was leaning across the table again.

Kairi paused. Though Roxas always confessed his feelings, Kairi had yet to really say anything in return. She always claimed to really, really like him. To be honest, she was kind of afraid to confess her love. She didn't want Roxas to disappear like Sora did. Still, she couldn't deny she had strong feelings for the man. He was what she looked forward to seeing every day. He was who she spent most of her time thinking about. He was her motivation. She cared about him so much. "I-I think I do," Kairi answered almost silently.

"Have you told him yet?" Selphie asked. This time her tone was more concerned. Kairi shook her head. She didn't dare to look the brunette in the eye. "What? Why not? If you don't tell him soon he might get the wrong idea, you know."

"The wrong idea?" Kairi murmured.

"Yeah, he might think you don't feel the same way," Selphie explained. The waiter had just brought their food.

Kairi frowned at her plate. She couldn't have Roxas thinking she didn't care about him. She couldn't bear to lose someone else that was so important to her. She had to tell him how she felt. It was time to overcome her fear. But how?

This was the question she pondered for the rest of the day. She wasn't sure how she should bring up the topic of love. She wanted to boldly confess it rather than waiting for Roxas to say it first. She wanted to show that she meant it. Kairi sighed as she walked into the apartment. "I don't know how to do this," she mumbled quietly. She hung her jacket on the rack and trudged over to the couch. She slumped onto it and rested her head on the arm. "What do I say?" she asked the ceiling. In the midst of her pondering, her eyes slowly drooped closed and she fell asleep.

"_Kairi, now our destinies are intertwined forever," Sora whispered. The two teens were inside the Secret Place. Sora was on his knees staring at the carving he had just etched into the rock. It held importance for him. He ran his hand over the poorly sketched image of Kairi's face. _

_Kairi smiled and did the same for her image of Sora's face. She stared at the hands with the paopu fruits. "Are they really intertwined?" Kairi asked curiously. For some reason, she didn't feel so sure. _

_Sora grinned. "Of course they are, Kai. We'll always be together, I promise," he vowed. _

"_That makes me happy, Sora," Kairi whispered. She turned her head to look at him. She admired his spiky, brown locks, his tanned skin, and her favorite part, his beautiful blue eyes. "I want to be with you forever," she confessed. _

_Sora's cheeks tinted pink. "Gosh, Kairi," he mumbled, "You sure know how to embarrass a guy." _

_Kairi quickly blushed and turned away. "I-I'm sorry!" she stammered nervously. _

"Hey, Kairi, are you all right?"

She stirred and groaned. Kairi opened her eyes to see Roxas hovering over her. She could see the worried look in his eyes. She smiled and greeted him. "Hey," she answered quietly.

"Did something happen?" Roxas asked.

She shook her head. She enjoyed the sensual sound of his smooth voice. It was naturally comforting. "I was just thinking about something and ended up falling asleep," Kairi confessed.

"What were you thinking about so hard?" Roxas teased. He smiled slightly.

Kairi felt her heart race. This was her moment. "I was thinking of a way to tell you something important," she replied as she sat up on the couch. She straightened her clothes and ran her fingers through her thick, red hair.

Roxas sat down next to her. "Did you think of anything?" he asked curiously. She could tell he wanted to know what she needed to tell him. He almost looked nervous. She took comfort in this; she didn't like to be the only one nervous.

"Not really, but I think I have an idea," she continued. Kairi gingerly took Roxas's hands in her own and gave him a warm smile. "Roxas, I love you," she quickly confessed. He couldn't hide the wide grin that spread across his face. It encouraged her. "I really, really love you," she added as a blush spread across her face. She felt so wonderfully vulnerable to him.

"That's the first time you've told me that," Roxas awed. The joy was visible on his face. He looked like he was on cloud nine. Kairi couldn't stop smiling; she was so happy she told him. "I love you too, Kairi. My love for you grows stronger with every passing day," Roxas proclaimed sensually.

"Come ere'," Kairi demanded playfully. She seized his shoulders and pulled him into a deep kiss. She felt as if she was glowing. Her heart was beating so quickly and she could barely breathe, but she felt perfect. Everything was right in her world. She could finally be with someone who cared for her just as much as she cared for him. She felt his arms wrap around her and pull her closer. She didn't refuse him. She wanted to be with him.

Roxas lowered her back onto the couch as they continued their passionate displays of affection. Kairi couldn't help but smile with every kiss and tender touch. She loved the way Roxa's hands could easily glide over her skin. She also loved the way his lips felt against hers. Their bodies seemed to mesh perfectly within her shining mind. She giggled as his lips began to trail down her creamy skin. A short moan escaped as he moved in to suck and kiss the nape of her neck. She felt something electrify within her as he timidly began to move farther down her chest.

A part of her was scared, but another part was excited and thrilled. She loved feeling loved in return. She didn't have to doubt herself any longer. She was ready to give her heart to another man. She trusted him completely.

She felt his hand graze her cheek. Kairi's eyes flashed open and instantly met with Roxas's blues. The loving gaze in his eyes made her heart flutter. "Roxas," she whispered. It was mixed with surprise and love.

He smiled at her. "Kairi, I love you. I care about you so much and I only want what's best for you," he vowed. A blush reddened across her face. She didn't know why, but she suddenly felt extremely nervous. "Would you please be with me forever? I won't hurt you like Sora did. I'll take care of you and I'll love you," Roxas begged, "Please? I can't live without you."

"Oh, Roxas!" Kairi exclaimed. She quickly wrapped her slender arms around him and pushed her body as close as she could get it. "I'll stay with you forever," she vowed loudly.

He kissed her cheeks. "Promise? No matter what happens?" Roxas asked.

She paused. "As long as you do," she whispered quietly. She allowed him to move away as she stared into his honest eyes. She needed to know he would be there for her. She needed to have some sort of confirmation. Anything would do.

Roxas sat up and reached into his back pocket. "I promise. I won't ever leave your side no matter where we go. Take this as a symbol of our love and our promise," Roxas declared. He held out a golden ring to her. It was decorated with a red and pink flower with a tiny diamond in the center. He gently grabbed her left hand and slid it onto her ring finger. It was a perfect fit. She smiled. "I don't want to pressure you into marriage, but I want you to know I'll always be here for you," he added.

"Then let's make this official," Kairi playfully whispered back, "Let's get married."

"Are you sure it isn't too soon for you?" Roxas asked; she could see the concern in his eyes.

She shook her head. "I made a mistake of not taking the chance last time. I won't let myself make the same mistake again, Roxas. I want it to be you that I wake up next to every morning. I want to spend the rest of my life by your side," she explained before she quickly pecked his cheek.

He returned her kiss. "All right. We'll start making arrangements tomorrow," he agreed.

Kairi blushed. She couldn't believe this was happening. She gently caressed his chest as she stared at him. She didn't want to miss a moment. He was the one she was supposed to be with. This was right. She wouldn't have anyone else. "Roxas, will you make me yours?" she bashfully asked. Her cheeks continued to redden at the thought.

She saw the same blush on his face. "Make you m-mine?" he stammered nervously.

"Y-Yes," Kairi whispered breathlessly. She scooted closer to him and draped her body over his. She rested her head next to his and began to breathe into his ear. "I want to be yours," she breathed. He quickly wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into the most enticing kiss he'd ever given her. She practically moaned on impact. She was so taken by surprise she couldn't help but gasp at his boldness.

She wrapped her legs around him as he slowly began to lift up from the couch. She secured her arms around his neck so that she wouldn't fall as they continued their deep, but tender kisses. She hardly noticed him carry her into the bedroom and slam the door shut.

_A/N: Hey guys. I know this ended kind of, well, evilly. So, I'm giving you a chance to give me some feedback here. If you would like, I will write out their little, intimate scene. If not, I'll continue as I planned. It's up to you! Though, if I do write a lemon, persay. It'll be in a one-shot. So tell me what you want, what you really really want! Lol. _


	11. Chapter 11

_A/N: Okay! So the votes are in. There wasn't much feedback actually but I did notice that some of you would be interested in reading a one-shot of Kairi and Roxas's love. So, for those, I will come through and write it for you. It'll be written in a bit after this chapter is released. So, look for it!_

**Lies Bring Us Closer**

**Chapter 11: Storm**

Kairi groaned as she began to stir in her sleep. She tossed and rolled over in the soft sheets she had rested in. Her eyes fluttered open to the sight of an amused pair of blue eyes. She loved those eyes. She blinked twice and stretched her arms above her head. She gave him a light smile. "Good morning, Roxas," she whispered groggily.

He gently kissed her forehead. "Good morning, Kairi," he whispered soothingly. Kairi felt her heart flutter at the sound of his voice. "What would you like for breakfast?" he asked quietly. She could see the love in his eyes; she loved the look.

"Mm, why don't we have omelets and pancakes?" Kairi suggested childishly. She smiled at him with shining eyes.

He chuckled, "Sure."

Kairi's smile widened at his agreement. She quickly sat up and stretched her arms to the sky as she yawned loudly. She couldn't help but think about the wonderful night she had. She heard Roxas chuckle, interrupting her thoughts. Kairi tilted her head in his direction; her eyes were full of curiosity. Why was he laughing at her? He pointed toward her; she looked down to the sight of her bare body. She quickly blushed and covered herself with the blanket. "Oh," she muttered. Her cheeks were completely red. That was just one reminder of her wonderful night.

Roxas smirked slyly. He sat up and scooted closer to her. He slipped his hand underneath the blanket and Kairi stifled a surprised moan. "R-Roxas," she stammered. Her head suddenly felt light underneath the touch of his palms on her bare chest. "Isn't it a bit too early for this?" she asked nervously. Not that she wasn't enjoying the feeling.

He rested his head on her shoulder as he continued to feel around. "It's never too early for love. Didn't you know?" he teased.

"You worded that nicely," Kairi answered happily as her eyes began to glaze over.

* * *

Kairi hummed happily as she stirred the rice she was cooking. Tonight she wanted to try out a new recipe she'd been planning for Roxas. Over the past three months she'd gotten into the habit of preparing dinner for him. She was slowly improving her cooking skills. Kairi was trying to make herself the 'perfect' wife. She wanted to be the best she could be for when they were wed in another month. She was brimming with excitement. She couldn't wait to be Mrs. Roxas.

She glanced at the clock. "Roxas will be home soon," she chirped happily. She quickly placed the lid on the cooking pot and scurried toward the doorway. The excitement was practically flowing out of her as she patiently waited at the doorway. She stole another glance at the clock and heard the door click. He was home.

"Roxie!" Kairi cried happily as the blonde man stepped through the doorway. He smiled. "I'm already cooking dinner so just clean up a bit," she explained as she helped him with his coat.

"Thanks," Roxas answered graciously. He quickly pecked her lips. "I love you," he whispered sensually.

Kairi blushed. "I love you too," she murmured happily. She felt complete, and it was such a wonderful feeling. She stared into his oceanic eyes. He was all she ever wanted.

"Kairi, tonight I have something to confess to you," Roxas suddenly stated. She was caught off guard. What could he possibly have to tell her that he hadn't already? They'd shared everything from favorite foods to political views.

"All right, we'll talk over dinner?" she suggested cautiously. For some reason, she didn't have a good feeling about whatever Roxas had to tell her. He nodded and gave her another kiss before he began to walk away. Kairi shook her head; no, it couldn't be a rejection. He wasn't like Sora.

She hurried back into the kitchen to check on her rice. She quickly took it off the eye and turned off the stove. She smiled as she peered into the pot. It was perfect. She knew Roxas was going to love his dinner. She turned away from the pot and stared around the kitchen. It was then she noticed just how filthy the kitchen was. The floor was covered with crumbs and all sorts of random tidbits. She frowned. "It wouldn't hurt to clean this," she muttered to herself.

Kairi quickly fetched the broom and began to sweep the kitchen floor. She began humming a made-up tune as she collected the dirt on the floor. She swept past the fridge, stove, and the sink before she arrived at the table. Once again, the curious button was staring her in the face. How she longed to know what it was for. She let the broom drop to the floor.

"Why won't Roxas just tell me?" she asked herself as she lowered her body onto all fours. She'd begged Roxas many times to just tell her what the button was for, but he never did. She was now positioned in front of the mysterious button. Her fingers were tingling with her desire. It hypnotized her with is silvery glow. She wanted to push it.

"Kairi!"

She nearly shrieked as her head hit the table. Roxas pulled her from under the table and lifted her to her feet. She could see the panic in his eyes. She didn't understand why he wanted her to avoid it so badly. She frowned as she rubbed her wounded head. "What's the matter?" she asked.

"I told you not to get near that button," Roxas explained desperately. He was frowning at her; she didn't like it. She preferred his smile. She looked to the ground. He was upset with her because of her unsatisfied curiosity.

"Roxas, I-." He cut of her off.

"No, Kairi. It's all right. If you just sit down I'll explain everything," he murmured nervously. Or at least, Kairi thought he sounded nervous. She could tell there was something off about his attitude. Something was bothering him. Nevertheless, she took a seat.

Roxas quickly sat next to her and grasped her hands delicately, yet desperately. There was definitely something wrong with him. "Kairi, let's get away from here," Roxas suddenly begged.

She gasped. Why did he want to leave? She didn't understand. Why was he suddenly acting like this? "Roxas, what's wrong? Y-You're confusing me," Kairi cried, "Please, what's going on with you? Just tell me."

Before Roxas could explain himself, Kairi shifted the place of her foot and accidently stepped on the button. A flash of light surged through the entire room. Kairi gasped as Roxas cried out in horror. They echoed throughout the hollow space as it slowly transformed. The room changed into pure white. They were seated at a long, glass table with a flower vase at the center. Drawings were scattered everywhere around the room. In the far left of the room there was a pair of tall, white doors. To her right, there was a large window covered with gossamer curtains. She couldn't help but look around the room in awe.

"Roxas!" Kairi cried in panic.

"I'm here, Kairi," he cooed from across the table. She watched as he removed himself from his chair and began to approach her. He was dressed differently. He was wearing a long, black cloak. It had a zipper and hanging silver strings from the hood. She frowned at the sight. Where were his scrubs? And where were they? He kneeled beside her and gently kissed her hand. "Please, we don't have much time. Listen to me…"

Suddenly, a black miasma appeared in the room. Kairi stared in awe as another cloaked figure stepped out of what seemed to be a portal. It disappeared within a wisp of dark air. Kairi was officially freaked. She turned to Roxas with fear written in her eyes. "Roxas, what's going on?" she cried fearfully, "Please!" The cloaked figure chuckled at her reaction. A chill was sent through her spine.

Roxas jumped to his feet. "Saix! Stay away from her!" he growled angrily. Kairi was confused. The man removed his hood and smirked at her. He was the same person she'd encountered at the hospital. The only difference was that now the scar on his forehead was apparent. He was the man from the picture in Roxas's apartment. It was also the same person Roxas had warned her about. She quickly clutched his arm in fear.

"Roxas, Roxas. You've done your job well," he deadpanned sardonically. She didn't like his presence. He frightened her.

"What job?" she questioned. She looked to her blonde love for an answer, but she could tell he didn't have the heart to face her.

Saix chuckled once again. "She doesn't know you've abducted her?" he laughed sarcastically.

"Abducted?" Kairi cried in confusion.

Roxas gritted his teeth. She watched as his fists clenched. "It's not like that, Kairi. I promise. I only took this job to get closer to you. I wanted to protect you," he slewed as he kept his eyes on Saix defensively. The room felt like it was spinning. She felt so overwhelmed.

"Don't lie to her. You don't have to anymore," Saix reprimanded. Kairi felt as if a knife was stabbed through her. Lied? Surely Roxas wouldn't lie to her. Her breathing became rapid as she continued to listen to Saix's words. "At first, I thought you were getting too attached to your mission, but instead you were luring her into our trap. Excellent work," he praised sinisterly.

This wasn't happening. Kairi stared at Roxas with pleading eyes, but he looked away. "Roxas," she begged, "Tell me this isn't true. Tell me you didn't lie to me. What's going on?"

Before Roxas could answer Saix spoke again. "He is part of what we call Organization XIII. Our ultimate goal is to obtain Kingdom Hearts and to do so we need you, Princess of heart," he explained emotionlessly.

"Princess of heart? I don't understand," Kairi murmured.

"Yes. This is why we sent Roxas to befriend you so that he could eventually take you here so we could use you. It's been his mission for many years. The goal was to get to you before the keyblade master did," Saix continued coldly.

"No! That wasn't the only reason!" Roxas finally shouted, "Saix, leave!"

"Now that you have the princess in custody I have orders to take her to her cell," Saix deadpanned.

Kairi jumped from her chair and began backing away from both cloaked men. "Stay away from me!" she shouted threateningly. She hugged her arms as her gaze shifted between the two. She couldn't believe this. Everything she and Roxas had was a lie. He didn't really love her; she was only a mission to him. She was nothing once again. She felt the hot tears beginning to brim in her eyes. She thought it was real; she thought it was right. But once again, she was mistaken.

Roxas rushed over to her and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Please Kairi, listen to me. I didn't want this. I only took the assignment so I could get close to you. I didn't want to abduct you. I-I love you, Kairi! Please!" he begged.

"No!" she cried before she pushed him away. She didn't bother to look at his face; it was too painful. "Just leave me alone," she whispered sadly, "I'll go through with this stupid Kingdom Hearts thing. It must be my purpose in life. There's nothing else for me." She didn't bother to choke back the tears.

She could see the smirk on Saix's face. "Come with me, princess," he practically hissed. He summoned another black portal and hesitantly, she walked through. What did she have to lose? She was tired of being lied to.


	12. Chapter 12

_A/N: Hello! I'm happy to finally be updating. From this point on the story will be picking up and taking a new spin. You will actually see more than just Kairi perspective. I planned it this way, just so you know. I swear it wasn't spur of the moment! So, be ready for the new developments. Also, as promised, the little risqué sex moment with Roxas and Kairi will be posted soon. I have yet to write it simply because I'm not sure where I want to go with it yet. Even sex scenes need planning, you know? _

**Lies Bring Us Closer**

**Chapter 12: Fresh water**

"Here you are, Princess of _Heart_," Saix hissed. Kairi yelped as she was pushed into the large cell. She didn't know where she was; she got lost in all the white. She winced as her arm hit the solid ground. She fiercely glared at the sinister man; he only smiled in return. "To make sure you are indeed valuable to the Organization, Vexen will be here to perform a series tests on you later," he added before he quietly disappeared into another dark portal.

Kairi slowly lifted herself from the ground. She stared around the purplish cell. It felt so cold and lonely. She truly was a prisoner. She hugged herself as she walked toward a corner of the cell; she felt safer there. She stared at the slightly illuminated ground as she burrowed into her thoughts. Everything felt so foreign to her. She didn't even feel like she was truly inside of her own body. She felt so defeated, so used. How could he do this to her?

"You said you'd protect me," she sadly whispered as the tears began to roll down her cheeks. Why did every man in her life lie to her? She succumbed to her depression as her tears fell quicker and sobs grew louder. This was what despair truly felt like. This is what emptiness was. She hugged her knees and let her head hide inside her numb arms. The memories flooded through her head. How could she be so blind as not to see through his lies? She felt so distraught, and soon enough, sleep found her.

**KSRXKSRXKSRXKSRXKSRXKSRXKSRX**

"Saix!" Roxas growled angrily as he stormed into one of the meeting areas. He furiously trudged past the empty black couches and furniture to where Saix was standing, in front of large window panels. "How dare you treat her that way!" Roxas yelled from behind him. He quickly summoned a set of keyblades and readied himself for battle. "I demand that you release her!" The hate was oozing from his blue eyes.

Saix finally turned around and glared at the blonde. "And what do you think you are doing, saving her?" he spat, "If I were you I wouldn't forget my place, keyblader."

Roxas withdrew his weapons and turned away. "I don't belong here, I have no place to forget, _Saix_," he answered spitefully, "Consider this my resignation." He clenched his fists.

"You fool. Do you not wish to be whole like the rest of us?" Saix seethed, "You are a nobody just like the rest of us. You cannot feel, thus, you cannot care for that girl."

"I love her!" Roxas shouted, "Heart or not. What I feel for her is stronger than any state of being!" Saix scoffed. Roxas turned his head and smirked at Saix. "I don't expect you to understand, though. Even in your life as a somebody you've never experienced love for another," he spat as he began to walk out of the room. Roxas jerked his hood over his head and outstretched his gloved hand to open a portal.

"You only feel for her because of your somebody." Roxas disappeared into the portal still hearing the haunting phrase echo through his mind. _'I'm more than him, aren't I? My feelings are genuine, aren't they?' _

"Good, Saix. Leave doubt in his mind. We must act quickly if we wish to release the Princess's ultimate power," a low hiss from the shadows echoed throughout the room. Saix turned toward the source of the sound with a wicked smirk. "Have you exposed her location to the keyblade masters?" the voice demanded chillingly.

"Yes, Superior. I suspect they will arrive soon," Saix answered evilly.

A pair of golden eyes appeared as the figure slowly approached Saix. He had tanned skin and an equally sinister smirk upon his face. His hair was silver and reflected the light of the heart-shaped moon perfectly. He tossed his hair with his gloved hand. "I am pleased to hear this, Saix. Go to Vexen and get the results of the tests he performed on the Princess. We need to know her state before we move forward," he ordered.

"Yes, Superior," Saix agreed before he disappeared into whisps of darkness.

**KSRXKSRXKSRXKSRXKSRXKSRXKSRX**

Kairi shivered as she lay painfully on the ground of her cell. She felt her fingers twitching and quivering as she her skin relived the torture again and again. Silent tears fell down the sides of her cheeks to the purple ground. She could still hear her own screams echoing through her mind. Her eyes stared straight toward the ceiling begging for mercy. _'Why am I here? What did I do to deserve this? All I ever wanted was a simple life with someone to love me. I don't even know what Kingdom Hearts is or what a Princess of Heart is or anything. I don't know anything,' _she thought.

"Kairi!"

The sound of his voice pierced through her body. Her heart raced painfully as she turned her head toward the purple bars. Roxas was standing on the other side peering in with watchful eyes. As much as she wanted to hate, she couldn't make herself. Instead, she felt her heart breaking into pieces at the sight of his caring eyes. She could feel their gaze heavy on her body weighing like a 100-ton weight and crushing her body. "Roxas," she croaked.

He frowned. "Kairi, please. You have to listen to me before anything else is said," he pleaded. She was in no position to object. He disappeared and reappeared before her in the strange dark energy. He placed his hand on hers as he stared into her eyes. She couldn't breathe. "You have to understand why I took this mission. I wanted to protect you, because I love you, Kairi. I never lied to you; I just withheld part of the truth. But I intended to tell you that before the button was pressed. I wanted to get you away from all of this…I-I never wanted this to happen," Roxas explained desperately.

She could see the panic in his eyes; she could feel his nervousness. Kairi gently wiped her tears with a weak hand. "Then start from the beginning. Please tell me everything, Roxas. I can't stand to be in the dark anymore," she begged. He kneeled beside her and stroked her hair.

"Okay, I was recruited into Organization XIII as a way of collecting hearts. The goal of Organization XIII is to create Kingdom Hearts so that we can all be whole. By collecting hearts I contributed to the creation. But as I went on missions and killed heartless I began making friends, Axel and Xion. We were a trio. But Axel and Xion were destroyed by the Superior for reasons I still don't understand. Ever since then I've questioned my purpose here and have realized this is wrong. On the day I was going to leave, I saw you. Saix took me to Destiny Islands and I saw you walking lonely along the sidewalk with tears in your eyes. It was that day he gave me to the mission to lure you to Organization XIII so that we could use your heart to open the door," Roxas explained.

"Why didn't you just do your job then?" Kairi asked with a frown, "Or just leave?"

Roxas shook his head and gave her a weak smile. "I fell in love with you, just from that moment. I knew that I had to protect you from whatever evil they had planned for you. So, I stayed and monitored you from afar, which was why I was there to save you that day you nearly drowned in the ocean. Every day since then I've been planning to tell you to the truth, but there was never the right moment…until now. Please believe me when I say I am in love with you and that I only want the best for you," Roxas continued earnestly. He wrapped his arm around her waist and gently lifted her into his close grasp.

"Roxas, what happens now?" she asked quietly. She felt her heart begin to slow down as she settled into his soothing grip.

He kissed her forehead and held her tighter. "I'm going to get you out of here, Kairi. I just have a few loose-ends to tie up before we leave. Next time I visit you will be to set you free and escape. It won't be long, I promise," he answered dutifully; "I won't let them hurt you."

She smiled weakly. "Thank you for being honest with me. There are still some things that I don't understand, but I'm not sure I want to know full detail. Let's just get away from here as soon as we can," she whispered happily. She lifted her head and planted a sweet kiss on his lips. "We can get married and once everything settles down; we can start a family," she murmured gently.

Roxas's face brightened up. "I would like that very much, Kairi," he whispered back as he stared into her purple eyes lovingly.

"But what about Sora? Is there a –."

"Forget about him," Roxas interrupted.


	13. Chapter 13

_A/N: New chapter! Today was my last day of class so all I have is a couple more assignments and then I'm done with my first semester of college. In other words, I have oodles of time again. My boyfriend is uber busy so I can pretty much devote the majority of my time to writing again. So can expect updates more regularly and after December 8__th__ I will be fully capable of updating like I used to. So, that's something to look forward to, right? _

**Lies Bring Us Closer**

**Chapter 13: Boiling Water**

"_Has the keyblade master finally come?" _

"_He's fighting his way to the front door." _

"_Excellent, go forth with the plan." _

Kairi waited anxiously in her cell for any sight of Roxas's blonde spikes. It had been two days, or at least that was her estimate, since he had last visited her and promised to save her. In those two days she had mentally and physically prepared herself for the escape. Before Roxas left he warned her that it was going to be difficult to escape and that she should be ready to fight. So she began practicing her hand to hand combat with the air; it was the best she could do. She didn't have a weapon.

She peered through the purple bars and gazed down the long, white hallway. "Roxas, where are you?" she whispered with a frown. _'If you don't hurry and get here I don't know what I'm going to do. I can't take another test from Vexen…it's too painful,´ _she thought sadly. She continued to scan the hall until she heard the sound of footsteps approaching the cell. She seized.

"Who is it?" she called fearfully. She prayed that Roxas would answer and not some other member of the organization. She had found they were all unpleasant.

"Kairi, it's me!" Roxas answered as he approached her cell, "You ready?" She quickly nodded. Within a flash Roxas was inside of her cell. Kairi quickly pulled him into a desperate hug. He returned the favor. "Don't worry, we're going to get out of here just fine," he whispered into her ear.

"Okay, okay," Kairi murmured as she snuggled into his chest.

Roxas outstretched his hand and opened a portal. "They're not going to let me teleport straight out of here so we're going to have to make our way to the exit of this castle and then teleport from there," Roxas explained. She nodded and the two made their way into the portal.

They re-entered the world in what appeared to be a large blue hall. There was a balcony above a doorway. Kairi looked around in awe. She had no idea the place was so big. Before she could speak she heard odd squeaking, squishy sounds. Roxas pushed her behind him and drew out his keyblades. "I told you this would be dangerous, just stay behind me and try not to get caught," Roxas instructed. Kairi nodded and Roxas began attacking the strange creatures. They looked like small, skinny people with zippers for mouths. There was a strange insignia on their head. They were white and gray and could bend in the strangest of ways. She made sure to keep out of their way.

Roxas grabbed her hand and the two ran out of the room and into another room. This one was completely white and appeared to be inside of a tunnel of sorts. "This is an elevator," Roxas explained, "It'll take us down to the ground floor." More strange monsters appeared. This time they looked even larger and tougher. They wielded lances and flew through the air. Roxas threw his keyblades and defeated them easily. Kairi clung to him tightly. She could feel her heart pounding through her chest. Something didn't feel right.

They exited the elevator and entered another large room. She could see the dark sky through the glass windows. The two ran hand in hand down a ramp. She heard sounds coming from the other side of a large, white wall. "I think there's someone else here," Kairi whispered to Roxas. Fear was written on her face.

Roxas tightened his grip on her hand. "Don't worry, Kairi. I'll protect you," he promised. He quickly kissed her cheek. They heard footsteps approaching them. Roxas summoned his keyblades and stood in front of Kairi defensively.

Kairi peered over Roxas's shoulder; she was curious to see who was coming. It didn't sound like an enemy. In fact, the voices sounded really familiar. She watched in awe as the two figures came into view. She felt her heart pounding and a lightness in her head. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. Those brown spikes. That tanned skin and goofy grin. Those silver locks and intense eyes. It was them. They were there. She nearly fainted.

Roxas narrowed his eyes. He turned to Kairi and whispered, "Don't be fooled, Kairi." It was all he had time to say.

"Who are you and what are you doing with Kairi?" Sora shouted angrily. A keyblade appeared in his right hand as he readied himself for battle. Kairi's breath seized; why would Sora ask that? He wrote that he hated her and never wanted to see her again in the letter.

Roxas growled. He felt his hatred for Sora boiling over. "My name is Roxas and I'm helping Kairi escape," he answered through gritted teeth.

Sora relinquished his blade and grinned. "Great! So you're not an enemy! Did ya hear, Riku?" Sora exclaimed excitedly, "He's helping Kairi!" Riku remained silent.

Roxas relinquished his blades as well and turned to Kairi. She didn't return his look. She was too busy staring at Sora and Riku. _'Oh no,' _Roxas thought as he watched her walk over to them. He had to act fast or he was going to lose Kairi forever.

"Sora…Riku…what're you doing here?" Kairi asked in awe.

"To save you, of course. When that organization guy told me he had imprisoned you I knew I had to come find you," Sora explained. He pulled Kairi into a tight hug. "I didn't want anything happening to you," he whispered sweetly. Kairi felt her heart flutter as it began to melt from his sensuous voice and sweet words. She found her mind going foggy as Sora held her within his strong, muscular arms. Roxas cleared his throat and Kairi immediately pulled away.

"Why do you care so much now?" Roxas asked angrily.

Sora rubbed the back of his neck. "What're you talking about, Roxas?" he asked in confusion.

Roxas stepped forward and pulled Kairi into his arms. "You left her on an island and broke her heart. She waited so many years on you and nearly killed herself, because of that email you wrote to her!" he shouted, "Does that ring any bells? How dare you try to sweet talk your way into someone's heart that you completely abandoned!" Sora was silent; he looked away.

Kairi frowned. Roxas was right. She couldn't become putty in his hands again. All Sora would do was break her heart again and again. "You bastard," she growled. Her eyes were fierce as she glared at the shocked brunette man. She marched over to him and poked him square in the chest as hard as she could. Sora stumbled backward. "You promised you'd come back and you didn't!" Kairi shouted angrily, "Do you know how long I would sit and wait on the beach hoping to see your face again? Just hoping to hear the sound of your voice? And now you show yourself once you finally hear I've gotten into some trouble? You don't care about me!"

"Whoa, whoa, Kairi. Calm down, okay? Let me explain myself," Sora hushed with a wave of his hands. Kairi crossed her arms and glared at him. Sora nervously scratched his head. "I had to leave Destiny Islands to become a keyblade master, but I wasn't allowed to tell you. I thought I would be able to return to you sooner, but things didn't go as planned and the worlds fell into peril. I wrote you that letter, because I wanted you to forget about me," Sora explained earnestly, "Please forgive me, Kairi. I never meant to hurt you." Riku scoffed. "Well, maybe a little…but not this much!"

Kairi rolled her eyes. "Whatever, Sora. I'm done putting my hopes on something that's not going to happen. I've found someone that really loves me, and I'm not going to give that up," she vowed, "Now if you'll excuse us, we're leaving."

"But, Kairi!" Sora called desperately.

Roxas gave Kairi a quick peck on the cheek. "Come on, Kairi. We're almost there," he said reassuringly as the two began to walk away from Riku and Sora.

"Kairi…he's not real," Riku stated boldly.

"Ignore him," Roxas quickly instructed.

Kairi turned around furiously. "How can you say that?" she nearly shrieked.

Riku shook his head calmly. "Kairi, he's a nobody," Riku stated again. His composed facial expression did not change as the words flew out of his mouth.

Kairi clenched her fists. "I love him, Riku. Don't try to stop me from going with him just because you and Sora have become the best of buds," she quietly seethed, "I've made my decision and you're just going to have to deal with it."

Riku scowled. "Kairi, why do you think you are here? These people, all they want is to sacrifice you to Kingdom Hearts so they can become whole! And he is one of them! He doesn't have a heart; he's not a real person," Riku explained in frustration.

"That's not true!" Kairi cried defiantly. She turned to Roxas with begging eyes. It couldn't be true. "You're real, aren't you?" she pleaded.

Roxas paused. "I told you before…this Organization wants to be whole, so I was only recruited because I am not. I'm not a real person," he quietly and gravely admitted.

Kairi fell silent.


	14. Chapter 14

_A/N: Hello there! Long time, no write. But that's okay. We're all enjoying our winter break, anyway. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. Also, Happy New Year and Happy Valentine's Day. _

**Lies Bring Us Closer**

**Chapter 14: Raging Waves**

"Now you see, Kairi. You can't be with him. You belong with us," Sora broke the silence. His eyes were directed toward the ground as if he couldn't bear to look Kairi in the eyes.

Kairi clenched her fist. "So what if he's not real? He took more care of me than you ever did!" she yelled. She turned and glared at the brunette man. "Roxas is more of a man than you'll ever be, Sora! He understands me and loves me in ways you never could, because you don't care enough to try. I'm done with you!"

Sora was silent. He turned to Riku, but he only shook his head and turned away. Kairi's mind wasn't going to be changed.

Kairi turned to Roxas and gave him a smile. "Let's get out of here," she said gently. She happily slipped her hand into his loving the feeling.

Roxas returned her smile. "Right, the entrance isn't too far away from here. It'll take less than five minutes," he explained as they began to walk away.

Sora clenched his fists as he watched the two leave. He couldn't believe this was happening. "Riku, we can't just let her go!" Sora cried in outrage.

Riku sighed. "I know, but she won't come with us no matter what we do," Riku answered with a frown, "The only way to get her would be to take her unwillingly and I don't think the King would be too supportive of that idea."

"Then what are we supposed to do? Let her go off with that nobody?" Sora asked disapprovingly.

Riku let out another long sigh. He didn't think 'saving' Kairi would be so complicated. "We'll have to make do with the situation. We'll have to fight off Roxas and snatch up Kairi. I'll hold him off while you handle Kairi, got it?" Riku instructed. Sora gave a nod and the two began charging after the couple. Nothing else needed to be said.

Roxas was the first to notice the sounds of their footsteps quickly approaching. He quickly pushed Kairi behind him and launched one of his keyblades toward Sora and Riku. They easily dodged and the keyblade re-appeared in Roxas's hand. He growled in frustration; his eyes seemed to shine with anger. "They're going to try and take you away, Kairi. Run and get somewhere safe. I'll come find you once this is over," Roxas instructed quickly. He knew there wasn't much time for her to get away.

Kairi nodded. "I love you, Roxas. Don't get hurt," she whispered before she turned and ran as fast as she could. She didn't know where she could hide, but she had to find somewhere quick before they caught up to her. She couldn't help but think that if Sora had come chasing after her a year ago she would've happily ran into his arms. She shook her head. _'Time to forget about him,' _she thought as she quickly exited.

"Hey! Kairi!" Sora cried as he began to chase after her, but Roxas quickly jumped in front of him. "Get out of the way!" Sora shouted as he tried to maneuver past Roxas, but his efforts were futile.

"If you want Kairi you're going to have to go through me," Roxas hissed. He lowered himself into battle stance with both of his keyblades at his side. He let out a low growl as he shifted his glance between Riku and Sora.

Sora drew his weapon. "If that's the way it has to be. You know this isn't right. She's a Princess of Heart, she can't be with a nobody like you," Sora reasoned as they began to circle each other, "You can't even really love. You just want her for her heart. That's all that draws you to her; her heart!"

"Lies!" Roxas shouted.

"You don't have emotions, Roxas. You're just an empty vessel," Riku added curtly. He also had his keyblade in hand; The Way to Dawn. "Just leave her in our capable hands. We can save her from whatever plot Xemnas has in store. Just leave her with us," he commanded as gently as he could. He really didn't feel like wasting time fighting with Roxas.

"She doesn't belong with you. She deserves to be among people who care about her," Roxas spat.

"Hey! We had to be away. It wasn't our fault. We were chosen; we didn't choose to be this way," Sora explained with a frown, "I would've given anything to return to Kairi, but I couldn't. I had a higher duty that required my attention."

"She should be your first priority!" Roxas shouted angrily. He tightened his grip on his blades. His knuckles were white underneath his black gloves.

"I can't be with her if the worlds are destroyed!" Sora cried back just as fiercely.

She ran and ran as fast as her legs could carry her. She didn't know where she was going, but she continued to follow what appeared to be a transparent bridge. In front of her she could see she was quickly approaching what appeared to be some sort of city. It was dark and rainy, but it seemed to be like a good place to hide.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Kairi halted and turned around. A cloaked man was standing behind her; she couldn't see his face, but she didn't care to find out who it was. It didn't matter to her anymore. "I'm leaving!" she curtly answered. Before she could run, the man snatched her arm and pulled her back. "Let me go!" she cried angrily, "I won't be a part of your plot!"

The man cackled. "It's not your decision, princess," he hissed, "Come quietly and we won't hurt Roxas."

"Ha! You couldn't lay a finger on him if you tried. He's stronger than you'll ever be!" Kairi replied confidently, "It'll be you that's hurt! Not Roxas!" She continued to try and struggle her way out of his grip.

"You're so naïve, such is the nature of a heart of pure light," the man scoffed as his grip tightened, "But if you need convincing I will show you what I say is true." With a wave of his free gloved hand, a portal opened to reveal Roxas, Sora, and Riku. She paused. "Take notice of their battle. You can tell Roxas is already struggling to fend off two measly keyblade masters. You see, without a heart Roxas cannot be a true master and is easily defeated. If it wasn't for the keyblade he wouldn't have any use at all," the man explained. Kairi watched fearfully as the battle ensued. She didn't want to believe what she was hearing, but it was playing out right in front of her.

'_Please Roxas, you have to win. I know you can do it,' _Kairi prayed. She bit down on her bottom lip. She watched as Sora and Riku teamed up and ran toward Roxas. Her heart began to beat rapidly. She could feel her hopes drop. Roxas was knocked to the ground and his keyblades were sent flying across the floor. "Roxas!" she cried. The man closed the portal.

She glared at him. "Once we escape we won't have to worry about Roxas's lack of heart. He's fine the way he is," she growled defensively.

"For how long? We'll never stop chasing you until you give us what we want. You can't live peacefully unless you help us to complete Kingdom Hearts. If that isn't enough incentive, think of it this way: once Kingdom Hearts is completed Roxas will have a heart. The two of you can be together permanently," the man explained sinisterly.

Kairi paused. "You'll leave us alone if I go through with this?" she asked.

"Of course."

"And Roxas will have a heart of his own?" she asked again. The man only nodded. Kairi paused again. Surely it wouldn't do too much damage if she helped them open Kingdom Hearts. All she could see were the good consequences. She looked away. How could she resist such an offer? But what would Roxas think if she agreed to do this? And what would happen to her? _'No, I won't be like Sora. I'm going to make this relationship work. Roxas will have a heart and then we can really be together. I have to do this for us,' _she mentally convinced herself. "Fine, I'll do it," Kairi almost hesitantly agreed.

Before she could say anymore she felt an immense pressure begin to build up inside of her. The cloaked man grew closer to her and she could see the golden, glowing malice in his eyes. She gasped as she began to lose consciousness. All she could hear were the sounds of cackling laughter. She suddenly felt as if she were suffocating from the inside. She gasped for air as she felt to her knees while struggling to remain conscious. Her heart began pounding harder and harder. Each beat seemed to pierce through her being. She let out cries of pain as she felt internal detachment. "R-Roxas," she sputtered out before she collapsed completely.

* * *

"Do you give up, Roxas?" Riku asked as he pointed his blade to Roxas's neck. The blonde nobody only shook his head. "Why're you such a fool? Don't you see you've lost!" Riku cried in frustration.

Roxas scowled and pushed the blade away with his hand. "Of course I see that! I just won't give up on her, not like you did. I know it's unnatural and I know it'll be hard, but I want her more than I want air to breathe. I love her and I can't exist without her," Roxas explained, "I can't let you take her from me."

Sora frowned. "You talk big for a guy with no emotion," he stated, "But if you care about her that much…come with us. We can talk more once she's safe." He offered a hand to help Roxas up, which he cautiously accepted. Sora grinned. Once he was standing he began dusting himself off. "Now, where did she go?" Sora called as he scanned the area. There was no sign of red hair anywhere.

"She probably left to the outside," Roxas suggested, "I told her to hide."

The unlikely team quickly ran out of the exit and began their descent down the transparent bridge. As they came closer to the city they noticed the cloaked figure in the distance. "Oh no," Roxas whispered as his speed increased. His keyblades returned to his hands as he rushed toward the figure. Sora and Riku followed suit. They had an idea of what was going on.

Roxas growled. "Let her go!" he cried before he launched one of his keyblades toward the enemy.

The cloaked figure removed his hood and revealed his tanned face and golden eyes. He easily blocked the measly attack and revealed what was behind him, Kairi lying on the ground. He chuckled.

"Kairi!" Roxas cried as he quickly ran to her side, "Kairi, wake up!" He gave her a shake, but she didn't stir.

"It's no use, in only a few moments her heart will belong to Kingdom Hearts and the door will finally be open!" the man cackled heartlessly.

"Xemnas! I'll kill you!" Roxas hissed as he jumped to his feet.

"Heh, you won't be around much longer to get your chance," he answered gravely. Kairi let out a final scream as her heart finally left her body. It floated into the air toward the heart-shaped moon. "Yes, join Kingdom Hearts! Open the door! Give me a heart!" Xemnas cried.

"No!" Sora cried as he watched the moon transform in blinding lights. He reached for Kairi's heart as if he could get it back, but it was gone. The moon transformed into an tall, ethereal looking door.

Xemnas faced the door as he continued to cackle. "Now to complete my Kingdom Hearts!" he declared evilly.

"What do you mean complete? You said the heart of pure light would do that!" Roxas cried angrily. He tightly gripped his keyblades as his gritted his teeth together.

Xemnas laughed. "Fulfill your destiny, you pawn," he ordered. Within a flash, his glowing, red ethereal blades appeared in his grasp. With one large swoop he brought them down on Roxas pinning him to the ground as they continued to burn through his clothing. Roxas cried in pain. "Use your keyblade and open the door, Roxas," Xemnas commanded, "Return to whence you came!"

"Never!" he growled through gritted teeth.

"Do it!" Xemnas screamed. Roxas looked around for some form of help, but Sora and Riku were both overwhelmed by the mass amount of nobodies that had suddenly appeared. Dusks were everywhere. They had already thrown themselves over Kairi's empty vessel. Roxas gasped from both shock and pain. "Do it before she's lost to you forever, Roxas!" Xemnas threatened.

Roxas closed his eyes tightly. He had no choice. He pointed his keyblade toward the sky and a light emitted from its tip. "I'm sorry, Kairi," he whispered. He heard the door unlock and suddenly felt faint. He could see the light blasting through from the doors. He looked to his sides and was at a loss. He didn't understand why he was beginning to fade away. "Xemnas!" he shouted with all his might.

Xemnas smirked. "You don't have a heart, thus it took all of your being to open the door. You will never have a heart," he laughed. Roxas screamed in frustration as the fragments of him began to disappear.

"Roxas!" Sora cried as he hurried over to his side, "What's happening to you?"

Roxas shook his head. He knew there was no time to explain. "Just take care of Kairi," he replied quietly before his entire being disappeared. All that was left was a black mark on the ground where Roxas once was.


	15. Chapter 15

_A/N: The story is coming to an end pretty quick. I hope you all have enjoyed it so far! _

**Lies Bring Us Closer**

**Chapter 15: Cyclone**

"Where am I?"

"Where is Roxas?"

The darkness was impenetrable. Kairi felt blind as she wandered desperately searching for something familiar. She felt the cold emptiness inside of her swelling up as she stumbled deeper and deeper into the darkness. She was beginning to forget everything as she trudged along. Memories were escaping her, faces of friends were a blur, and current events were non-existent. Her eyes were empty. Her complexion was drained. Her mouth twitched. The only name that remained on her tongue was Roxas.

Constantly she cried, "Roxas…Where is Roxas?" Her pleas were never met with an answer.

With hands spread out in front of her she cautiously continued to drift around. She lost her footing and fell. The ground around her turned to swirling, purple liquid that threatened to pull her into its deepest depths. Kairi screamed instinctively as she fought to stay. She reached for something, anything with desperation.

She felt something solid reach out for her. She quickly took the chance and was pulled out of the darkness. She fell against her savior and found the feeling familiar. Kairi felt as though she was leaning against another human being. With all her might she tried to discern the features of the person, but she couldn't see.

"Who are you?" she struggled to ask.

"It's better that you don't remember, I won't be here for long, Kairi. I have to get you out of here," the voice replied. It was familiar to her, but she couldn't remember who it belonged to.

"Where are we going?" she asked as she felt herself be pulled through the thickening darkness.

"To where the light is," was the simple reply. Somehow that answer calmed her, even though she didn't understand what the person meant.

The journey felt long to her. The longer they traveled the more lost Kairi felt. She could feel something eating at her. Her skin was already producing goosebumps and she had a slight tremble as she was dragged along.

"We're almost there, Kairi. Hang on," the voice ordered.

"I don't know…if I can," she weakly replied. Her mind felt as though it was beginning to slip away. Her thoughts were disordered.

Finally, in the distance she began to see a brightness coming toward her. She assumed this was the 'light' the stranger spoke of. As her vision began to recover she saw that the light was growing stronger and larger. The darkness around her was disappearing. Warmth was returning to her body as she was pulled into the powerful illumination.

The stranger ceased. "Stay here," the voice ordered.

Kairi fell to her knees from exhaustion. She closed her eyes and opened them repeatedly trying to clear her vision. It was still weak, but growing stronger. She was beginning to remember who she was and what had happened to her. The memories were faint, but growing stronger with each passing moment. Once she felt ready, she stood up. "Where am I?" she asked.

"Kingdom Hearts," the stranger replied, "Your heart has been separated from your body and we must unite the two again."

"I don't understand," Kairi mumbled in confusion.

The voice laughed, "I'm sorry, I don't have time to elaborate on the subject. You might have too many memories by that time."

"Too many memories…? What?" Kairi managed to utter. The figure was becoming clearer to her now. She could make out a blonde head of hair and a dark outfit, but she still had no idea who she was talking to.

"Take this," the voice ordered gently. The person swiftly placed something in Kairi's hand that she couldn't identify. "It will protect you when the time comes," the stranger explained.

She could feel something metallic and key-shaped in her grasp, but she couldn't remember what it was called. "How will I know when the time comes?" she asked curiously as she swung the strange object around.

She could make out a smile on the stranger's face, along with a pair of blue eyes. "You'll know," was all the person said.

"Why are you so familiar to me? Why can't I remember who you are?" Kairi demanded with a frown, "You seem so distant…yet so close."

"Forget about me, Kairi. After this moment, you'll never see me again as I am," the stranger advised.

For some reason, Kairi felt upset. She could feel the tears beginning to swell in her eyes. "W-What do you mean," she stuttered unhappily, "I want to see you…I-I want to be with you."

The stranger pulled Kairi into a hug. "Our time will come one day, Kairi. Until then, live your life to the fullest," he whispered. Kairi wrapped her arms around the strange boy desperately, yet she still didn't understand why she did.

"My chest hurts," she weakly sputtered as the tears continued to fall.

"It's because you're sad. You'll get to feel emotions still…I couldn't let you become a nobody," the stranger explained sadly, "You'll be whole."

Kairi swiftly pulled away from the embrace. "I'll never be whole if you're not with me," she boldly declared. She stared at the stranger like one stares at a lover. "I know who you are now…Roxas," she breathed.

"Goodbye, Kairi," he whispered. He kissed her on the cheek and Kairi's world suddenly disappeared right before her eyes.

Silence. Silence is sweet. Silence is golden. Or at least that's what most say.

Silence was her greeting; a cold greeting. Her eyes opened and she felt the light drizzle falling on her skin. She felt hazy as she struggled to her feet. She looked around and saw that no one was there. All that was left were dark marks on the ground and a starless sky. Even the castle itself seemed to be slipping away.

"Where'd everyone go?" Kairi mumbled as she strained to try to catch a glimpse of anyone. She was alone. She sighed. "Well, I can either go back in there or try to find a way out of here…I might as well leave," she thought out loud. She ran down the rest of the transparent bridge toward the skyscraper city.

The rain was heavier there, but not by much. She continued to run until she found herself at the base of a large, bright skyscraper. She stared at it in awe. She couldn't help, but feel a sense of nostalgia even though she'd never been there. She didn't know what was tugging at her. Kairi inhaled and began to walk away.

"Where do you think you're going?"

She paused. She recognized that voice all too well. She looked over her shoulder and saw that it was none other than Saix. "What do you want now?" Kairi dared to ask, "Your Kingdom Hearts isn't even in the sky anymore."

Saix smirked. "I can easily begin the process of creating a new one with more hearts," he answered coyly.

"Well, you can leave me and any other princess out of that process," Kairi scoffed, "I'm leaving."

"No, Kingdom Hearts will always need a pure heart to truly be complete so I intend to keep you here until that day comes," Saix threatened. He summoned his claymore and pointed it toward Kairi. "You can come quietly or I can use force."

Kairi took a step back. "I'm not going anywhere with you!" she cried. She quickly turned and ran toward the inner streets of the city with no idea where she was going. Saix pursued her with his claymore in hand.

She screamed as he swung trying to hit her. She barely managed to escape each hit. He lifted the claymore above his head and jumped swung where she was standing. Kairi screamed and leapt out of the way just in time. She landed against one of the walls and felt a shortness of breath. Saix smirked as he slowly closed in on her. "No one's here to save you now, princess. Roxas can't help you where he is now," he chuckled evilly.

Kairi growled, "Don't you dare mention Roxas!" She suddenly felt a tingling in her hand. She looked down and saw Roxas's keyblade in her hand. She stared at it in disbelief.

"Ha! You think you're going to stop me with that keyblade?"

Everything felt strange in her senses. Her heartbeat was loud. Her body tensed and her breath slowed. She couldn't fight the sensation; she had this strong, undeniable urge to grab the blade and fight. But she couldn't help but panic because she didn't know how to fight. She'd never lifted a keyblade in her life.

"_Kairi, you have to fight!" _

She heard his voice in her head. It was Roxas. She growled in frustration. Saix swung at her and she quickly blocked his attack. She held her ground as she managed to stand to her feet. "I will fight you and I'm going to get away from here!" Kairi shouted angrily. Saix only chuckled and the battle commenced.

Saix's powerful swings were almost too much for Kairi to handle, but she managed to keep her stance as she maintained her defense. Saix growled, "You can't keep playing the defense forever!" His hits became harder and Kairi could almost feel something in the air. It was like he was gathering power and that made her fearful. Still, she continued to block and dodge where she could. Until the climax came. Saix glowed red and his claymore grew in size. Kairi screamed as he released an onslaught of fierce blows that she had no other choice but to run from.

"Kairi!" he shouted.

"Roxas!" Kairi screamed desperately. She continued to run until she found herself cornered. Her life flashed before her eyes. She saw the weapon rise from the ground and she braced herself for impact. She closed her eyes and turned her head away defensively. She waited…but she felt nothing. Could it be the blow was so powerful it killed her painlessly? She opened her eyes and was surprised to see someone in front of her. She saw brown hair, a black outfit, yellow shoes, and tanned skin. It was Sora who had come to rescue her. "Sora," she whispered in disbelief.

"Don't worry, Kairi. I won't let anything happen to you," Sora swore, "Just stand back and let me and Riku take from here." He managed to give her a grin before he was absorbed into the heat of battle. Riku was at his side. Kairi watched from the sidelines; the keyblade was gone. It played out in front of her so quickly. Sora and Riku easily took down Saix, it didn't matter that he had entered his berserker mode they were an unstoppable team. The last blow was dealt and Saix disappeared in black.

She saw the relief grace their faces as they made their way over to Kairi. "We were worried when we didn't see you where we left you," Riku explained, "And then we heard your screams so we hurried to where you were. Looks like you put up quite a fight."

She shrugged. "I didn't do any damage or anything," she answered quietly, "I was just trying to get away."

"I'm just glad you're okay, Kairi. I didn't think you'd ever open your eyes again," Sora said endearingly. Kairi just smiled. "We can take you home now," he added quietly."

"Are you going to stay with me?" Kairi asked hopefully, "The battle's over."

Sora rubbed the back of his neck. "Not quite, just because Xemnas and Saix are gone doesn't mean the rest of those Organization members won't try to build another Kingdom Hearts," Sora explained, "Riku and I will still have to be away for a while, but I promise we'll come back as soon as we can, Kairi."

Kairi suddenly felt overwhelmed. "W-What?" she stammered emotionally. She suddenly burst into tears as she fell to her knees. Sora wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly. Riku walked away muttering something about alerting the king on Kairi's progress. They were alone, which was something Kairi had wanted for so long. She thought maybe Sora would stay with her and he might one day be able to fill the void that Roxas left. But he was leaving her as well, again. Kairi was going to be truly alone again, and she couldn't handle that realization.

"Kairi, please don't cry. I'll come back to you, I promise," Sora whispered into her ear.

Kairi pushed him away and turned away. "That's just an empty promise. You didn't come back for years! So why should I believe you now?" Kairi asked angrily, "I refuse to be alone again!"

"It's too dangerous for you to come with me. If it wasn't, you know I'd take you with me, Kairi. I care about you," Sora tried to explain, "Please try and understand that I don't want anything happening to you." He attempted to place his hands on her shoulders, but she once again pulled away. "Kairi," he begged.

She stood up and backed away. "No, Sora. You caring about me isn't enough anymore! I loved you! But you never felt the same, did you? You never really loved me," Kairi cried as the tears continued to flow down her face.

Sora growled in frustration. He grabbed Kairi's arms and looked her in the eyes. "Kairi! I've always loved you! I've loved you since the day we met and I've never stopped since. I'm sorry the keyblade chose me and I'm sorry I can't be around like you need me to be! It's just the burden I have to bear!" he cried as the tears began to fall from his eyes, "But please, never doubt me. I want to be with you, Kairi. And one day we will be able to be together, just not now."

"But how can I trust you? Roxas was always with me and I knew he wanted a future with me, but I don't know how I can ever begin to trust what you say to me," Kairi admittedly sadly.

"I'll write, Kairi. Everyday until you get sick of me," Sora joked as a tear slid from his eye, "I promise to try and visit occasionally too."

"Swear it!" Kairi cried before she fell into his arms and cried into his chest. The hole in her heart was immense. She didn't believe she would ever get past this. How could she let Roxas go?


	16. Chapter 16

_A/N: Well, this is the last chapter! I hope you all enjoyed the ride. _

**Lies Bring Us Closer**

**Chapter 16: Calm**

Kairi sighed and tucked the letter back into its envelope. Once again Sora had postponed his visit to Destiny Islands; apparently there was an outbreak of heartless in Hollow Bastion he had to take care of. She fell back into her couch and let out another aggravated, lonely sigh. _'I'm beginning to think he's not going to ever come visit me again,' _Kairi thought sadly. It'd been two years since the Kingdom Hearts ordeal and Kairi was growing impatient. She'd only seen Sora twice since then. She felt like she was the only twenty-six year old that wasn't married. Even Selphie was happily married to Tidus with a child on the way.

She stood up and slipped on a pair of pink sandals. "I'm going to the beach," she muttered under her breath. She picked up her keys, which were placed by a picture of her and Roxas. She looked around the apartment and frowned. All of Roxas's belongings were still there; she didn't have the heart to throw them away or donate them. She made her way to the door and slipped on a lavender jacket. The weather forecast predicted a storm, but she didn't plan on being at the island that long. She locked the door and trampled down the stairs toward the door.

She could feel the breeze from outside through the outside door. She poked her head out and noticed it was already drizzling. She shook her head. "No, I'm going to the beach," she insisted. She stepped outside and looked toward the sky. The clouds looked dark and ominous; she ignored them and hurried down the street. She was determined to get to the beach.

She reached the shore of the main island within five minutes. She noticed the tide was already coming in. Kairi hopped into her boat and untied it from the dock. She began quickly paddling toward the island. The wind was picking up and she could feel the temperature dropping. Many would call her actions stupid or irrational, but she couldn't fight the urge to go to the island. It wasn't a matter of want or boredom; she felt like something was pulling her toward that island. _'I wonder what Sora would say about this, he'd probably condemn my actions. But who cares, he's not here anyway,' _she thought angrily as she pulled up to the dock. She tied her boat and stepped onto the wooden boards.

Kairi breathed in the ocean air. She could see the tide also coming up on the shore here. Kairi jumped down into the sand and walked toward the water. She wasn't surprised to feel the chill. It wasn't freezing, but it wasn't as warm as usual. Kairi wiggled her toes around in the water as she stared toward the sky. She felt a sense of nostalgia wash over her as she remembered the past. It was on this shore that she first met Roxas. She frowned.

"Why does everyone have to leave me?" she screamed at the sky, "Am I just meant to be abandoned?" She kicked the wet sand angrily. The tears were beginning to well up in her eyes. "Do I have to jump into the ocean just for someone to give a damn!" Kairi screamed again. Without a second thought, she ran into the ocean with the pull of the tide. She swam till she could not feel the ground. She looked around as she splashed in circles. She was drifting farther and farther away. No one was there.

Hot tears trickled down her cheeks as she allowed her body to be pulled away. She felt there was no reason to try and go back. There was nothing to go back to, but an empty island full of dead memories. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to begin to sink into the ocean. _'What's the point of living anyway if you have to live alone and loveless,' _she thought as her face began to sink into the water.

She felt something seize her shoulder. Her eyes quickly opened and she kicked up toward the surface. Someone had grabbed her. "Are you stupid? What are you doing!" the person screamed at her.

Kairi frowned and chose not to respond. The person pulled her onto the boat and gave her a blanket to wrap herself in. It was now she decided to get a look at her 'rescuer'. She was speechless. She couldn't believe what she was seeing; surely she had taken in too much sea water. The golden blonde hair, the ocean blue eyes, the tanned complexion, his stature and build, and even the scowl were the same. This couldn't be happening. She stared at her rescuer with disbelief.

"What is your problem? Anyone would've done the same. It'd be a waste for someone as pretty as you to drown herself," the Roxas lookalike replied.

She couldn't help but blush. "W-Who are you?" she managed to stammer.

"My name's Ventus, but call me Ven," he answered with a slight smile.

She frowned. She had expected him to smile at her and say his name was Roxas. She had expected him to pull her into a tight embrace and whisper that she was not alone anymore. She took a deep breath and pulled herself together. "I'm Kairi," she whispered as she stared at the water below them. Drowning didn't seem like such a bad idea.

"Nice to meet you, Kairi. I wish it could've been on better circumstances, though," he said, "The storm is going to come in soon so I don't think I'll be able to take you back to the mainland tonight. We'll have to find somewhere suitable on that island you swam from."

Kairi raised an eyebrow. "Were you watching me?" she asked curiously.

Ven smiled nervously. "I couldn't help but notice when you started screaming at the sky. I thought you might end up doing something stupid so I kept an eye on you," he explained, "What're you doing out here anyway?"

She crossed her arms. She was so embarrassed. No one was ever out at the island so she didn't expect an audience. "I just felt like I should be out here now," Kairi replied curtly.

He nodded and steered the boat toward the island. "Sounds like the same reason I came out here. Something was just calling me. I can't help but wonder if it had to do anything with you," Ven said as he stared toward the rapidly darkening sky. She couldn't help but notice he seemed perplexed. He looked at her like he knew her, but at the same time she could almost sense his confusion.

'_Why do you look like Roxas?' _she thought suspiciously. Kairi could only imagine this had something to do with Kingdom Hearts. For all she knew, he was secretly working for some evil organization that needed pure hearts again. She would keep her guard up.

Ven rowed his boat up onto the bank and helped Kairi out. "Do you think that cave will keep us safe from the elements?" he asked as he pointed to the secret place.

Kairi stiffened. She really didn't want to go into the secret place. She looked for alternatives. The shack on the beach would not be a place to be when the tide came in. The tree house was a bad choice during a lightning storm. The other side of the island had no shelter at all. She sighed. "Yes, that's our best choice," she mumbled half-heartedly. She held the blanket tightly as she followed Ven into the secret place. Now she was wishing she'd never come out here.

Once they reached the mouth of the cave Kairi found a corner and sat down. Ven, on the other hand, wandered around staring at her, Sora, and Riku's scribbling on the rocks. She closed her eyes and simply ignored him. She had nothing to say about any of those pictures; they were just past memories of a better time.

"Hey, is this you?"

She opened one eye. Ven was standing in front of Sora and Kairi's paupu fruit drawing. She cringed from the pang in her heart. "It was once," Kairi replied quietly, "That was a long time ago."

"Who's the guy?" Ven questioned.

Kairi was becoming frustrated. She really didn't want to talk about Sora. "Just someone I knew, his name is Sora," she replied as vaguely as possible.

"Does he live here?" he asked again.

"He did once, but he moved when we graduated high school," she answered in aggravation.

Ventus didn't seem to get the hints. "Did you love him?" he asked absent-mindedly.

Kairi growled angrily, "Can you please stop asking about Sora? I don't want to talk about it!" She felt her angry tears. She turned away from Ven and covered herself in the blanket. He walked toward her and sat down next to her.

"I'm sorry for asking. It's just that when I look at that picture I feel angry and I thought you might know why," Ven explained, "I didn't mean to upset you."

She wiped her eyes and faced him. "What do you mean it makes you angry?" she asked curiously. She couldn't help but remember the time Roxas had found her in here crying over that scribbling. He had been angry then too.

"I just look at it and then I look at you and somehow I just know that it causes you pain. That makes me angry. I feel angry at this Sora who let you down," Ven explained, "And it's weird because I don't know either of you, but I feel like I do."

Kairi was silent. She didn't understand. Could it be possible that Ven had lost his memory? Maybe he was a long-lost cousin of Sora? "Do you have amnesia?" she dared to ask.

Ven laughed at this. He shook his head and said, "No. Just a few years ago I fell into a coma and I just recently woke up. It's kind of strange really. I'd never even heard of Destiny Islands before that day, yet I had such a strong urge to come here. So I jumped on a gummi ship and came here and then to this island where I met you," Ven explained, "That probably doesn't make any sense, though."

She gave him a weak smile. "No, not really. I'm sorry you had to go through that, though," she said sympathetically.

He leaned back against the stone wall. "It's done and over now," was all he could say. Thunder roared and it began to rain heavily outside of their safe place. Kairi squeaked at the sound of the thunder. He stared at her. Kairi couldn't help but notice something different in the way he looked at her. It was almost like he could see right through her.

"I-I don't really like thunderstorms," she quietly explained. The thunder sounded again and Kairi gripped her blanket tightly in response. She felt arms wrap around her. Before she could process what was happening, Ven had rested his head on her shoulder as he embraced her lovingly. "Ven?" she called out of confusion.

"Don't worry, Kairi. I'll keep you safe," he whispered to her. She felt so touched. She couldn't explain the feelings she was suddenly having. She was overwhelmed by her emotions. Ven was so much like Roxas. She longed to return his embrace. She yearned to love and be loved by him in return. She could feel her heart reaching out for him desperately. She couldn't help but cry. Ven quickly pulled away from her and looked her in the eyes. She could practically see Roxas in them staring at her with his loving gaze. "What's wrong?" he asked her.

Kairi broke into sobs. She couldn't stop herself. This was just too much for her to handle. "I-I can't go through this again," she managed to say between sobs, "I can't fall in love again just to end up alone."

Ven gently cupped her chin forcing her to look into his eyes. "Kairi, I will never leave you. I will always be by your side, I promise," he swore.

"How can you even say such things when you barely know me?" Kairi cried miserably.

He shook his head. "No, Kairi. I do know you. I don't know how, but I do know you. It's like I met you before in a dream. When I woke from my coma the only person I thought about was you. I came here because I knew you were here. I love you, Kairi. When I close my eyes all I see is you. When I sleep I dream about us. Even in my coma, I saw you. I was with you. I know this is hard for you to understand, but I have been with you. I remember living with you, sleeping with you, going on dates, and everything!" Ven explained desperately.

Kairi shook her head. "How can that be? I don't know you at all. The person I'd been with was Roxas, h-his name was Roxas," she lamented sadly, "And he died to save me."

"I know that, Kairi. I remember it. He led you to the light," Ven replied tenderly, "He is me."

She felt so overwhelmed. She didn't understand how any of this could be possible, but she didn't care to know. She wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled lightly. "You'll never see me again as I am now," she whispered to herself. She stared at Ven. He had the same radiance as Roxas. She could see Roxas within him. They were the same person. Roxas was whole; he was actually Ventus this entire time. She'd only met a reflection of him.

"Do you see now?" Ven asked her.

"Yes," Kairi cried happily, "Oh, Ven!" She wrapped her arms around him and held him tightly. "You came back to me, you really came back," she whispered tenderly, "I love you so much." She didn't even notice the storm anymore.

"I love you too, Kairi," he whispered back. He pulled away from her embrace and gently placed a kiss on her lips. Kairi's eyes closed as she was consumed by the passion between them. She never thought she would be able to feel this way again. It felt amazing. He pulled away from her and rested his forehead on hers. She stared into his eyes and smiled. "Will you still marry me, Kairi?" he asked, "I don't want to ever be without you again."

"Yes, yes I will," Kairi answered.

* * *

Today was the day. Finally, she would walk down the aisle and marry the man she loved. Kairi stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her radiant, red hair was tied into a bun with a white ribbon. Her white, gossamer veil covered her head to shoulders. Her white dress was a simple gown with puffed, short sleeves. She stared at her reflection in the mirror and smiled.

"Kairi, are you ready?"

She turned and saw Selphie waiting by the door. She was heavily pregnant and fanning herself. Kairi couldn't help but think it was amazing that she still had her figure even after giving birth to two kids with her third one on the way. She nodded and said, "I've been ready for years."

Selphie smiled. "Well, let's go. Ventus is waiting for you," she said cheerily. She pushed open the door and the two girls walked out toward the center hall where Kairi would be wed. Selphie peeked into the center hall and signaled for the pianist to start playing. The music began and Kairi felt the excitement build up inside of her.

The ceremony began. Selphie, Kairi's maid of honor, made her way down the aisle. Once she was a good distance, Kairi entered the hall. She was happy to see all of her friends present. She looked to the right side of the room and spotted Tidus and his two children. She was also happy to see Sora, Riku, and Wakka present and dressed formally. Sora smiled at her. She smiled back. She turned her attention to the left side of the room and saw some of Ventus's friends that she was able to meet before the wedding. Aqua, his teacher Eraqus, and a girl named Naminé were seated in the pews.

She looked toward the front of the room. Terra, Ventus's best man was standing and looking sharp. Next to him was Ventus. He was already smiling at her as she made her way down the aisle. She couldn't help but be filled with love. She remembered a time when she never thought this would happen to her. She remembered a time when she just wanted to be washed away into the sea. Those were all distant memories.

She carefully ascended the few steps toward the pulpit and turned to face Ventus. The priest began to speak, but she didn't really pay him much attention. She focused on Ventus. She could see the love in his eyes. She was so grateful to have met Roxas. She was so grateful to have met Ventus. In a strange way, she was also grateful to Kingdom Hearts for making this possible. Without it, Roxas would have never been whole. Without it, she would not be standing in this church. She was thankful for the lies. They brought her closer to him, the man she would spend the rest of her life with.

"I do," Ven stated lovingly.

Kairi felt butterflies in her stomach. She knew there was a blush on her face. "I do," she proclaimed happily.

"I now pronounce you, husband and wife."

This was it. This was the beginning of her new life filled with love and happiness. Ventus leaned in and sweetly kissed her lips.


End file.
